Survival of Coxiella burnetii within free-living amoeba Acanthamoeba castellanii.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether Coxiella burnetti is able to survive within free-living amoeba.


METHODS
When C. burnetii was co-cultivated with the free-living amoeba species Acanthamoeba castellanii.


RESULTS
Viable bacteria were detected for 18 days. Microscopic studies confirmed the presence of bacteria within vacuoles, some of which appeared to be spore-like forms.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that free-living amoebae could provide an intracellular niche for the spore formation and survival of C. burnetii in the environment.
La Scola
B
B
Unité des Rickettsies, UPRESA 6020, Faculté de médecine, Université de la Méditerranée, 27 Boulevard Jean Moulin, France.
Raoult
D
D
D000048:Acanthamoeba / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016997:Coxiella burnetii / Q000254:growth & development*; D003470:Culture Media; D006801:Humans; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D011778:Q Fever / Q000382:microbiology
D003470:Culture Media