title: Waddlia: An emerging pathogen and a model organism to study the biology of chlamydiae.
abstract: Waddlia chondrophila is an emerging pathogen associated with abortion in cattle. In humans, a growing body of evidence supports its pathogenic role in miscarriage and in respiratory tract infection. The human pathogenicity of W. chondrophila is further supported by the presence of several virulence factors including a catalase, a functional T3SS and several adhesins. Despite this medical importance, no commercial tests are available and diagnostic of this strict intracellular bacterium mainly relies on serology, PCR and immunohistochemistry. So far, the epidemiology of W. chondrophila remains largely unexplored and zoonotic, waterborne or interhuman transmission has been considered. Apart from its pathogenic role, chlamydiologists are also interested in W. chondrophila in order to better understand biological mechanisms conserved and shared with Chlamydia spp. Indeed, W. chondrophila proved to be a useful model organism to study the pathobiology of chlamydiae thanks to its rapid replication, its large size allowing precise subcellular protein localization, as well as its growth in Dictyostelium amoebae.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, University of Lausanne and University Hospital Center, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Fréderic
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lamoth
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, University of Lausanne and University Hospital Center, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Trestan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pillonel
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, University of Lausanne and University Hospital Center, Lausanne, Switzerland. Electronic address: gilbert.greub@chuv.ch.
authors.forename: Gilbert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Greub
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000382:microbiology; D000034:Abortion, Veterinary / Q000382:microbiology*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D002695:Chlamydiales / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000382:microbiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D037521:Virulence Factors
chemical_list: D037521:Virulence Factors
keywords: Chlamydia-like organism; Emerging pathogen; Intracellular bacteria; Miscarriage; Model organism