title: Resistance of Klebsiella pneumoniae to the innate immune system of African green monkeys.
abstract: In recent years, an emergent Klebsiella pneumoniae hypermucoviscosity (HMV) phenotype has been associated with increased invasiveness and pathogenicity in primates. In this project, bacteria recovered from infected African green monkeys (AGM) (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus) were screened for HMV phenotype, and were compared to non-HMV isolates in in vitro, serum, and oxidative-mediated killing assays. Complement-mediated killing was assessed utilizing freshly collected serum from healthy AGM. Oxidative-mediated killing was investigated utilizing sodium hypochlorite and hydrogen peroxide. Compared to non-HMV isolates, HMV isolates were more resistant to serum-mediated and oxidative killing (p<0.05). Phagocytosis resistance was evaluated using AGM peripheral blood monocytes (PBMC), and results indicated that non-HMV isolates associated with the AGM PBMC to a greater extent than HMV isolates (p<0.001). Measurement of lactate dehydrogenase release showed that HMV isolates were more cytotoxic to AGM PBMC than non-HMV isolates (p<0.001). Thus, the hypermucoid phenotype appears to be an important virulence factor that promotes evasion of innate immune defenses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
authors.forename: Brandi L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
authors.forename: Holly
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schiffer
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dagget
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Saint Kitts and Nevis; Behavioural Science Foundation, Estridge Estate, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beierschmitt
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
authors.forename: Fortune
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sithole
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
authors.forename: Elise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
authors.forename: Floyd
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Revan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
authors.forename: Iona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Halliday-Simmonds
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Saint Kitts and Nevis; Gribbles Veterinary Pathology, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beeler-Marfisi
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Science Foundation, Estridge Estate, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Palmour
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Saint Kitts and Nevis. Electronic address: esoto@rossvet.edu.kn.
authors.forename: Esteban
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Soto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007710:Klebsiella Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear; D008992:Monkey Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D014774:Virulence; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D037521:Virulence Factors
keywords: Cytotoxicity; Hypermucoviscosity; Oxidative killing; Phagocytosis; Serum resistance