title: Persistence and multiplication of obligate anaerobe bacteria in amebae under aerobic conditions.
abstract: After co-cultivation of Mobiluncus curtisii, an obligate non-sporeforming anaerobe, with free living amebae from the Acanthamoeba spp. under aerobic conditions, internalization, multiplication and persistence of bacterial cells were established for at least 4-6 weeks. Under the same conditions and media without viable amebae, the cells of M. curtisii did not replicate and died in 4-7 days. The infection of amebae occurred with 10 to 100 bacteria per ml of co-cultivation media. In 7-14 days the amount of bacterial cells increased to 1x10(5)-1x10(6) CFU/mL. Electron microscopic examinations revealed bacteria within vacuoles in the amebae and intracellular replication. These results suggest a previously undescribed mechanism for spread, replication and persistence of obligately anaerobe bacteria in the environment and new possible sources, reservoirs and transfer mechanisms of infections caused by obligate anaerobe bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Military Medical Academy, Sofia, 1606, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Tomov
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Tsvetkova
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Tomova
authors.forename: L I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Michailova
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Kassovski