Environmental Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis Hosted by Free-Living Amoebea

Authors

Ascel Samba-Louaka, Université de Poitiers, Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions
Etienne Robino, Université de Poitiers, Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions
Thierry Cochard, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Université de Tours
Maxime Branger, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Université de Tours
Vincent Delafont, Université de Poitiers, Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions
Willy Aucher, Université de Poitiers, Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions
Wilfrid Wambeke, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Université de Tours
John Bannantine, USDA ARS National Animal Disease CenterFollow
Franck Biet, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Université de ToursFollow
Yann Héchard, Université de Poitiers, Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des InteractionsFollow

Date of this Version

2018

Citation

Samba-Louaka A, Robino E, Cochard T, Branger M, Delafont V, Aucher W, Wambeke W, Bannantine JP, Biet F and Héchard Y (2018) Environmental Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis Hosted by Free-Living Amoebae. Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol. 8:28. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00028

Comments

2018 Samba-Louaka, Robino, Cochard, Branger, Delafont, Aucher, Wambeke, Bannantine, Biet and Héchard.

Abstract

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis is responsible for paratuberculosis in animals. This disease, leading to an inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, has a high impact on animal health and an important economic burden. The environmental life cycle of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis is poorly understood and several studies suggest that free-living amoebae (FLA) might be a potential environmental host. FLA are protozoa found in water and soil that are described as reservoirs of pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria in the environment. Indeed, bacteria able to survive within these amoebae would survive phagocytosis from immune cells. In this study, we assessed the in vitro interactions between several strains of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis and Acanthamoeba castellanii. The results indicate that the bacteria were able to grow within the amoeba and that they can survive for several days within their host. To explore the presence of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis in environmental amoebae, we sampled water from farms positive for paratuberculosis. A M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis strain was detected within an environmental amoeba identified as related to the poorly described Rosculus genus. The bacterial strain was genotyped, showing that it was similar to previous infectious strains isolated from cattle. In conclusion, we described that various M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis strains were able to grow within amoebae and that these bacteria could be found on farm within amoebae isolated from the cattle environment. It validates that infected amoebae might be a reservoir and vector for the transmission of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis.