Isolation of Waddlia malaysiensis, a novel intracellular bacterium, from fruit bat (Eonycteris spelaea).
An obligate intracellular bacterium was isolated from urine samples from 7 (3.5%) of 202 fruit bats (Eonycteris spelaea) in peninsular Malaysia. The bacterium produced large membrane-bound inclusions in human, simian, and rodent cell lines, including epithelial, fibroblastlike, and lymphoid cells. Thin-section electron microscopy showed reticulate bodies dividing by binary fission and elementary bodies in the inclusions; mitochondria surrounded the inclusions. The inclusions were positive for periodic acid-Schiff stain but could not be stained by fluorescein-labeled anti-Chlamydia trachomatis major outer membrane protein monoclonal antibody. The bacterium was resistant to penicillin and streptomycin (MICs > 256 mg/L) but susceptible to tetracycline (MIC = 0.25 mg/L) and chloramphenicol (MIC = 0.5 mg/L). Sequence analysis of the 16SrRNA gene indicated that it was most closely related to 2 isolates of Waddlia chondrophila (94% and 96% identity). The 16S and 23S rRNA gene signatures were only 91% identical. We propose this novel bacterium be called W. malaysiensis.
Chua
Paul K B
PK
University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3GA, UK.
Corkill
John E
JE
Hooi
Poh Sim
PS
Cheng
Soo Choon
SC
Winstanley
Craig
C
Hart
C Anthony
CA
D016475:3T3 Cells; D000119:Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001483:Base Sequence; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000652:urine; D002695:Chlamydiales / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D006224:Cricetinae; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D012338:RNA, Ribosomal, 23S / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014709:Vero Cells
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012338:RNA, Ribosomal, 23S; D000119:Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine; C041439:muracein A