Evidence that human Chlamydia pneumoniae was zoonotically acquired

Myers, GSA; Mathews, SA; Eppinger, M; Mitchell, C; O'Brien, KK; White, OR; Benahmed, F; Brunham, RC; Read, TD; Ravel, J; Bavoil, PM; Timms, P

Evidence that human Chlamydia pneumoniae was zoonotically acquired

Myers, GSA

Mathews, SA Eppinger, M Mitchell, C O'Brien, KK White, OR Benahmed, F Brunham, RC Read, TD Ravel, J Bavoil, PM Timms, P

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Journal of Bacteriology, 2009, 191 (23), pp. 7225 - 7233
Issue Date:: 2009-12-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Myers, GSA https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4756-4810	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Mathews, SA	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Eppinger, M	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Mitchell, C	en_US
dc.contributor.author	O'Brien, KK	en_US
dc.contributor.author	White, OR	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Benahmed, F	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Brunham, RC	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Read, TD	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Ravel, J	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Bavoil, PM	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Timms, P	en_US
dc.date.issued	2009-12-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Journal of Bacteriology, 2009, 191 (23), pp. 7225 - 7233	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0021-9193	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/39742
dc.description.abstract	Zoonotic infections are a growing threat to global health. Chlamydia pneumoniae is a major human pathogen that is widespread in human populations, causing acute respiratory disease, and has been associated with chronic disease. C. pneumoniae was first identified solely in human populations; however, its host range now includes other mammals, marsupials, amphibians, and reptiles. Australian koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) are widely infected with two species of Chlamydia, C. pecorum and C. pneumoniae. Transmission of C. pneumoniae between animals and humans has not been reported; however, two other chlamydial species, C. psittaci and C. abortus, are known zoonotic pathogens. We have sequenced the 1,241,024-bp chromosome and a 7.5-kb cryptic chlamydial plasmid of the koala strain of C. pneumoniae (LPCoLN) using the whole-genome shotgun method. Comparative genomic analysis, including pseudogene and single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) distribution, and phylogenetic analysis of conserved genes and SNPs against the human isolates of C. pneumoniae show that the LPCoLN isolate is basal to human isolates. Thus, we propose based on compelling genomic and phylogenetic evidence that humans were originally infected zoonotically by an animal isolate(s) of C. pneumoniae which adapted to humans primarily through the processes of gene decay and plasmid loss, to the point where the animal reservoir is no longer required for transmission. Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Journal of Bacteriology	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1128/JB.00746-09	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Microbiology	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Animals	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Phascolarctidae	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Chlamydophila pneumoniae	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Chlamydia Infections	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Phylogeny	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Genome, Bacterial	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Molecular Sequence Data	en_US
dc.title	Evidence that human Chlamydia pneumoniae was zoonotically acquired	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	23	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	191	en_US
utslib.for	06 Biological Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	07 Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	11 Medical and Health Sciences	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - ithree - Institute of Infection, Immunity and Innovation
utslib.copyright.status	open_access
pubs.issue	23	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	191	en_US

Abstract:

Zoonotic infections are a growing threat to global health. Chlamydia pneumoniae is a major human pathogen that is widespread in human populations, causing acute respiratory disease, and has been associated with chronic disease. C. pneumoniae was first identified solely in human populations; however, its host range now includes other mammals, marsupials, amphibians, and reptiles. Australian koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) are widely infected with two species of Chlamydia, C. pecorum and C. pneumoniae. Transmission of C. pneumoniae between animals and humans has not been reported; however, two other chlamydial species, C. psittaci and C. abortus, are known zoonotic pathogens. We have sequenced the 1,241,024-bp chromosome and a 7.5-kb cryptic chlamydial plasmid of the koala strain of C. pneumoniae (LPCoLN) using the whole-genome shotgun method. Comparative genomic analysis, including pseudogene and single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) distribution, and phylogenetic analysis of conserved genes and SNPs against the human isolates of C. pneumoniae show that the LPCoLN isolate is basal to human isolates. Thus, we propose based on compelling genomic and phylogenetic evidence that humans were originally infected zoonotically by an animal isolate(s) of C. pneumoniae which adapted to humans primarily through the processes of gene decay and plasmid loss, to the point where the animal reservoir is no longer required for transmission. Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/39742