title: Spiroplasma - an emerging arthropod-borne pathogen?
abstract: Spiroplasma is a genus of wall-less, low-GC, small Gram-positive bacteria of the internal contractile cytoskeleton, with helical morphology and motility. The genus is classified within the class Mollicutes. Spiroplasma / host interactions can be classified as commensal, pathogenic or mutualist. The majority of spiroplasmas are found to be commensals of insects, arachnids, crustaceans or plants, whereas a small number of species are pathogens of plants, insects, and crustaceans. Insects are particularly rich sources of spiroplasmas. The bacteria are common in haematophagous arthropods: deerflies, horseflies, mosquitoes, and in ticks, where they may occur abundantly in salivary glands. The ability of spiroplasmas to propagate in rodents was experimentally proven, and Spiroplasma infections have been reported recently in humans. Some authors have purported an etiological role of Spiroplasma in causing transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), but convincing proof is lacking. The possibility for humans and other vertebrates to be infected with Spiroplasma spp. in natural conditions is largely unknown, as well as the possibility of the transmission of these bacteria by ticks and haematophagous insects. Nevertheless, in the light of new data, such possibilities cannot be excluded.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Health Hazards and Parasitology, Institute of Rural Health, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cisak
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Health Hazards and Parasitology, Institute of Rural Health, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Angelina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wójcik-Fatla
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Health Hazards and Parasitology, Institute of Rural Health, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Violetta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zając
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Health Hazards and Parasitology, Institute of Rural Health, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sawczyn
authors.affiliation: 1. Department of Biological Health Hazards and Parasitology, Institute of Rural Health, Lublin, Poland 2. Department of Parasitology and Invasive Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, Pulawy, Poland.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sroka
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Health Hazards and Parasitology, Institute of Rural Health, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dutkiewicz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission; D004175:Diptera / Q000382:microbiology*; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D013149:Spiroplasma / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*; D013987:Ticks / Q000382:microbiology*; D014714:Vertebrates