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Quantitative Analysis of Proliferation and Excretion of Bartonella quintana in Body Lice, Pediculus humanus L.

Although body louse is a well-known vector of trench fever, the growth kinetics of Bartonella quintana in body lice has not been fully understood. We performed a quantitative analysis of bacterial multiplication rate. B. quintana started proliferation in body lice 4 days after ingestion and was constantly excreted in the feces for at least 3 weeks. The number of bacteria in feces reached the maximum 10⁷/louse per day on Day 15. The doubling time of B. quintana estimated from logistic regression formula was 21.3 hours. Scanning electron microscopy showed the presence of bacterial masses in feces. Immunofluorescent study using specific monoclonal antibody confirmed identification of B. quintana. Such an explosive multiplication rate and active excretion of B. quintana from the body lice could be related to epidemics of trench fever in developed countries.

Received January 19, 2007. Accepted for publication June 2, 2007.

Acknowledgments: The authors thank for Prof. Didier Raoult for providing the Hassani strain of B. quintana for this study. We are also indebted to Dr. Roger S. Nasci of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for his careful review of the manuscript and useful suggestions.

Financial support: This study was partially supported by a grant-in-aid of Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan (H15-Shinkou-ippan-014 and H18-Shinkou-ippan-009).

^* Address correspondence to Mutsuo Kobayashi, Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Toyama 1-23-1, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan. E-mail: mutsuo{at}nih.go.jp

Authors’ addresses: N. Seki, S. Kasai, O. Komagata, M. Mihara, T. Sasaki, T. Tomita, and M. Kobayashi, Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Toyama 1-23-1, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan, Telephone: +81 (0)3 5285-1111, ex. 2400, Fax: +81 (0)3 5285-1178, E-mail: mutsuo{at}nih.go.jp. N. Saito, Laboratory of Electron Microscopy, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Toyama 1-23-1, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8640, Japan. T. Sasaki, Department of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Infection Control, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Gakuen 4-7-1, Musashi-Murayama City, Tokyo, 208-0011, Japan.

Reprint requests: Mutsuo Kobayashi, Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Toyama 1-23-1, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan. Telephone: +81 (0)3 5285-1111, ex. 2400, Fax: +81 (0)3 5285-1178, E-mail: mutsuo{at}nih.go.jp.