Chlamydia trachomatis infections are increasingly prevalent worldwide. Male chlamydial associated with urethritis, epididymitis, and orchitis; however, the role of in prostatitis male factor infertility remains controversial. Using a model muridarum infection C57BL/6 mice, we investigated effects on spermatogenesis determined potential immune T cells to prevent infection-induced outcomes. Antigen-specific CD4 significantly reduced infectious burden penile urethra, epididymis, vas deferens....

IL-17 is believed to be important for protection against extracellular pathogens, where clearance dependent on neutrophil recruitment and local activation of epithelial cell defences. However, the role in intracellular pathogens such as Chlamydia less clear. We have compared (i) course natural genital tract C. muridarum infection, (ii) development oviduct pathology (iii) vaccine-induced immunity infection wild type (WT) BALB/c knockout mice (IL-17-/-) determine if IL-17-mediated implicated...

ABSTRACT Melioidosis is a potentially fatal disease that endemic to tropical northern Australia and Southeast Asia, with mortality rate of 14 50%. The bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei the causative agent which infects numerous parts human body, including brain, results in neurological manifestation melioidosis. olfactory nerve constitutes direct conduit from nasal cavity into we have previously reported B. can colonize this mice. We now investigated detail mechanism by bacteria penetrate...

ABSTRACT Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a disease of extremely high incidence in both community and nosocomial settings. UTIs cause significant morbidity mortality, with approximately 150 million cases globally per year. Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) the primary UTI generally treated empirically. However, rapidly increasing caused by multidrug-resistant UPEC strains has led to limited available treatment options highlights urgent need develop alternative prevention strategies. In...

The multiple banded antigen (MBA) is a predicted virulence factor of Ureaplasma species. Antigenic variation the MBA potential mechanism by which ureaplasmas avoid immune recognition and cause chronic infections upper genital tract pregnant women. We tested whether involved in pathogenesis intra-amniotic infection chorioamnionitis injecting virulent or avirulent-derived ureaplasma clones (expressing single variants) into amniotic fluid sheep. At 55 days gestation ewes (n = 20) received...

Ureaplasma species are the bacteria most frequently isolated from human amniotic fluid in asymptomatic pregnancies and placental infections. parvum serovars 3 6 prevalent men women. We hypothesized that effects on fetus chorioamnion of chronic ureaplasma infection dependent serovar, dose, variation multiple-banded antigen (MBA) mba gene. injected high- or low-dose U. serovar 3, 6, vehicle intra-amniotically into pregnant ewes at 55 days gestation (term = 150 days) examined chorioamnion,...

Under steady-state conditions the central nervous system (CNS) is traditionally thought to be devoid of antigen presenting cells; however, putative dendritic cells (DCs) expressing enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (eYFP) are present in retina and brain parenchyma CD11c-eYFP mice. We previously showed that these mice carry Crb1(rd8) mutation, which causes retinal dystrophic lesions; therefore we hypothesized presence CD11c-eYFP(+) within CNS may due pathology associated with mutation....

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) are common in humans. Despite the substantial healthcare cost represented these infections, human immune response associated with infection immediately following onset of symptoms patients remains largely undefined. We performed a prospective study aimed at defining milieu urinary cytokines adult inpatients 24–48 h period hospital admission for acute cystitis due to UPEC. Urine samples, analyzed using 27-target...

Purpose We report novel differences in mouse corneal DC morphology and density during local systemic inflammation.Methods Local inflammation was induced by topical application of saline or TLR9 agonist CpG-ODN on abraded C57BL6J corneas. Systemic intraperitoneal injection lipopolysaccharide (LPS) CD11c-YFP mice. Corneal epithelial DCs from uninjured, injured contralateral eyes were analysed confocal microscopy.Results Following CpG delivery the cornea, size increased both central peripheral...

Streptococcus agalactiae causes both symptomatic cystitis and asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU); however, growth characteristics of S. in human urine have not previously been reported. Here, we describe a phenotype robust observed ABU-causing (ABSA) that was seen among uropathogenic (UPSA) strains isolated from patients with acute cystitis. In direct competition assays using pooled inoculated equal numbers prototype ABSA strain, designated 1014, any one several UPSA strains, measurement the...

Urinary tract infections are a major source of morbidity for women and the elderly, with Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) being most prevalent causative pathogen. Studies in recent years have defined key anti-inflammatory role Interleukin-10 (IL-10) urinary infection mediated by UPEC other uropathogens. We investigated nature IL-10-producing interactions between host cells utilising novel co-culture model that incorporated lymphocytes, mononuclear uroepithelial histotypic proportions....

Ureaplasma species are the microorganisms most frequently associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. The multiple banded antigen (MBA), a surface-exposed lipoprotein, is key virulence factor of ureaplasmas. MBA demonstrates size variation, which we have shown previously to be correlated severity chorioamnion inflammation. We aimed investigate U. parvum serovar 3 pathogenesis in vivo, using sheep model, by investigating: variation after long term (chronic) and short (acute) durations utero...

Microglia play crucial roles in immune responses and contribute to fundamental biological processes within the central nervous system (CNS). In neurodegenerative diseases, microglia undergo functional changes can have both protective pathogenic roles. retina, as an extension of CNS, also been shown be affected many neurological diseases. While our understanding how pathological conditions is incomplete, non-invasive vivo imaging brain retinal living subjects could provide valuable insights...

Abstract The central nervous system (CNS) is considered to be immune privileged, owing in part the absence of major histocompatibility (MHC) class II + cells healthy brain parenchyma. However, systemic inflammation can activate microglia express MHC II, suggesting that may sufficient mature into functional antigen presenting (APCs). We examined effects lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced on phenotype and function putative APCs within mouse parenchyma, as well its supporting tissues—the choroid...

Erythromycin is the standard antibiotic used for treatment of infection with Ureaplasma spp. during pregnancy; however, maternally administered erythromycin may be ineffective at eliminating intra-amniotic ureaplasma infections. We examined whether would eradicate infections in pregnant sheep. At Gestational Day (GD) 50 (term, GD 150), ewes received injections erythromycin-sensitive parvum serovar 3 (n = 16) or 10B medium 16). 100, amniocentesis was performed; five fetal losses (ureaplasma...

ABSTRACT Melioidosis, caused by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei , is an often severe infection that regularly involves respiratory disease following inhalation exposure. Intranasal (i.n.) inoculation of mice represents experimental approach used to study contributions bacterial capsular polysaccharide I (CPS I) virulence during acute disease. We aerosol delivery B. establish in and studied CPS context innate immune responses. improved survival vivo triggered multiple cytokine...

Ureaplasmas are the microorganisms most frequently isolated from amniotic fluid of pregnant women and can cause chronic intrauterine infections. These tiny bacteria thought to undergo rapid evolution exhibit a hypermutatable phenotype; however, little is known about how ureaplasmas respond selective pressures in utero. Using an ovine model intraamniotic infection, we investigated if exposure subinhibitory concentrations erythromycin could induce phenotypic or genetic indicators macrolide...