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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology
Wolbachia endosymbiont levels in severe and mild strains of Onchocerca volvulus
Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, Volume 141, No. 1, Year 2005
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Description
Epidemiological, clinical and genetic data have all suggested that the filarial parasite Onchocerca volvulus, the causative agent of onchocerciasis (or river blindness) exists as two strains in West Africa. The severe strain induces severe ocular disease in a large proportion of the infected population, while the mild strain induces little ocular disease. Although DNA probes based upon a non-coding repeat sequence family can distinguish the two strains, the underlying basis for this difference in pathogenicity is not understood. Recently, several studies have implicated products produced by the Wolbachia endosymbiotic bacterium of O. volvulus in the pathogenesis of onchocerciasis. This suggested the hypothesis that differences in the Wolbachia endosymbiont population might be responsible for the pathogenic differences noted in the two strains. To test this hypothesis, quantitative PCR assays were used to measure the amount of Wolbachia DNA per nuclear genome in a collection of well characterized samples of mild and severe strain O. volvulus. The median ratio of Wolbachia DNA to nuclear DNA was significantly greater in severe strain parasites than in mild strain parasites. These data support the hypothesis that the pathogenic differences seen in severe and mild strain O. volvulus may be a function of their relative Wolbachia burden and provide additional support to the hypothesis that Wolbachia products may play a central role in the pathogenesis of ocular onchocerciasis. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Authors & Co-Authors
Higazi, Tarig B.
United States, Birmingham
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Filiano, Anthony
United States, Birmingham
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Katholi, Charles R.
United States, Birmingham
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Dadzie, Yankum
Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou
African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control, Ouagadougou
Remme, Jan Hans F.
United States, Washington, D.c.
The World Bank, Usa
Unnasch, Thomas Raymond
United States, Birmingham
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Statistics
Citations: 51
Authors: 6
Affiliations: 3
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1016/j.molbiopara.2005.02.006
ISSN:
01666851
Research Areas
Cancer
Genetics And Genomics
Infectious Diseases
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Study Approach
Quantitative
Study Locations
Multi-countries