Expression of OmpP2A and OmpP2B is not required for pustule formation by Haemophilus ducreyi in human volunteers.
Haemophilus ducreyi express two porin proteins, termed OmpP2A and OmpP2B. To test whether expression of OmpP2A and OmpP2B was necessary for virulence in humans, eight volunteers were experimentally infected with the parent (35000HP) in one arm and a double OmpP2A OmpP2B mutant (35000HP::P2AB) in the other arm. The pustule formation rates were 58.3% (95% CI, 33.2-83.5%) for the parent and 41.7% (95% CI, 19.3-64.0%) for the mutant (P=0.25). Biopsy of 35000HP and 35000HP::P2AB-infected sites yielded similar amounts of bacteria in quantitative culture. These results indicate that expression of OmpP2A and OmpP2B is not necessary to initiate disease or to progress to pustule formation in humans.
Janowicz
Diane
D
Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
Luke
Nicole R
NR
Fortney
Kate R
KR
Katz
Barry P
BP
Campagnari
Anthony A
AA
Spinola
Stanley M
SM
D000328:Adult; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D001706:Biopsy; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002602:Chancroid / Q000382:microbiology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D017353:Gene Deletion; D015870:Gene Expression; D006191:Haemophilus ducreyi / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional
D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; C493458:OMP2A protein, Haemophilus ducreyi; C493457:OMP2B protein, Haemophilus ducreyi