Diversity of spiroplasma host-parasite relationships.
Studies of many new mollicutes isolates from insects collected over the last 2 years have suggested a tentative grouping of host-parasite relationships. Those that have been partially studied to date include: 1) temporary gut infection or gut contamination in which the spiroplasmas may survive gut passage with little or no multiplication and with very limited persistence; 2) permanent gut infection in which the host gut is the year-round reservoir; 3) gut infection with hemolymph invasion in which spiroplasmas occur commonly in insect guts but with ability to invade the hemolymph of certain species to which they are pathogenic; and 4) hemolymph infection with noncultivable spiroplasmas in which spiroplasmas occurring in hemolymph or other host tissues are noncultivable.
D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000382:microbiology; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000382:microbiology; D004064:Digestive System / Q000382:microbiology; D004175:Diptera / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006458:Hemolymph / Q000382:microbiology; D006927:Hymenoptera / Q000382:microbiology; D007313:Insecta / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D013149:Spiroplasma / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*