This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lorenzo-Pajuelo, B. Articles by Martínez de Tejada, G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Lorenzo-Pajuelo, B. Articles by Martínez de Tejada, G.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, September 2002, p. 3146-3154, Vol. 40, No. 9
0095-1137/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.40.9.3146-3154.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Cavitary Pneumonia in an AIDS Patient Caused by an Unusual Bordetella bronchiseptica Variant Producing Reduced Amounts of Pertactin and Other Major Antigens

Benito Lorenzo-Pajuelo,¹ José Luis Villanueva,^2* Juan Rodríguez-Cuesta,¹ Nuria Vergara-Irigaray,¹ Máximo Bernabeu-Wittel,² Andrés Garcia-Curiel,³ and Guillermo Martínez de Tejada¹

Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Universidad de Navarra, 31080 Pamplona,¹ Servicio de Enfermedades Infecciosas,² Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, 41013 Seville, Spain³

Received 13 September 2001/ Returned for modification 10 December 2001/ Accepted 8 June 2002

Although Bordetella bronchiseptica can infect and colonize immunocompromised humans, its role as a primary pathogen in pneumonia and other respiratory processes affecting those patients remains controversial. A case of cavitary pneumonia caused by B. bronchiseptica in an AIDS patient is presented, and the basis of the seemingly enhanced pathogenic potential of this isolate (designated 814) is investigated. B. bronchiseptica was the only microorganism recovered from sputum, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and samples taken through the protected brush catheter. Unlike previous work reporting the involvement of B. bronchiseptica in cases of pneumonia, antibiotic treatment selected on the basis of in vitro antibacterial activity resulted in clearance of the infection and resolution of the pulmonary infiltrate. Although isolate 814 produced reduced amounts of several major antigens including at least one Bvg-activated factor (pertactin), the molecular basis of this deficiency was found to be BvgAS independent since the defect persisted after the bvgAS locus of isolate 814 was replaced with a wild-type bvgAS allele. Despite its prominent phenotype, isolate 814 displayed only a modest yet a significant deficiency in its ability to colonize the respiratory tracts of immunocompetent rats at an early time point. Interestingly, the antibody response elicited by isolate 814 in these animals was almost undetectable. We propose that isolate 814 may be more virulent in immunocompromised patients due, at least in part, to its innate ability to produce low amounts of immunogenic factors which may be required at only normal levels for the interaction of this pathogen with its immunocompetent natural hosts.

---

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Francisco Murillo 1, 41013 Seville, Spain. Phone: 34 95 5017829. Fax: 34 95 4231861. E-mail: jlvilla{at}cica.es.

---

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, September 2002, p. 3146-3154, Vol. 40, No. 9
0095-1137/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.40.9.3146-3154.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Berkowitz, D. M., Bechara, R. I., Wolfenden, L. L. (2007). An Unusual Cause of Cough and Dyspnea in an Immunocompromised Patient. Chest 131: 1599-1602 [Full Text]  
• Mattoo, S., Cherry, J. D. (2005). Molecular Pathogenesis, Epidemiology, and Clinical Manifestations of Respiratory Infections Due to Bordetella pertussis and Other Bordetella Subspecies. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 18: 326-382 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Muyldermans, G., Soetens, O., Antoine, M., Bruisten, S., Vincart, B., Doucet-Populaire, F., Fry, N. K., Olcen, P., Scheftel, J. M., Senterre, J. M., van der Zee, A., Riffelmann, M., Pierard, D., Lauwers, S. (2005). External Quality Assessment for Molecular Detection of Bordetella pertussis in European Laboratories. J. Clin. Microbiol. 43: 30-35 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Templeton, K. E., Scheltinga, S. A., van der Zee, A., Diederen, B. M. W., Kruijssen, A. M., Goossens, H., Kuijper, E., Claas, E. C. J. (2003). Evaluation of Real-Time PCR for Detection of and Discrimination between Bordetella pertussis, Bordetella parapertussis, and Bordetella holmesii for Clinical Diagnosis. J. Clin. Microbiol. 41: 4121-4126 [Abstract] [Full Text]