This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Strahl, E. D.
Right arrow Articles by Falkinham, J. O.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Strahl, E. D.
Right arrow Articles by Falkinham, J. O., III
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Strahl, E. D.
Right arrow Articles by Falkinham, J. O.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, October 2001, p. 4432-4439, Vol. 67, No. 10
0099-2240/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/AEM.67.10.4432-4439.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Fluorescent Acid-Fast Microscopy for Measuring Phagocytosis of Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium intracellulare, and Mycobacterium scrofulaceum by Tetrahymena pyriformis and Their Intracellular Growth

Eileen D. Strahl,1 Glenda E. Gillaspy,2 and Joseph O. Falkinham III1,*

Departments of Biology1 and Biochemistry,2 Fralin Biotechnology Center, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0346

Received 1 February 2001/Accepted 16 July 2001

Fluorescent acid-fast microscopy (FAM) was used to enumerate intracellular Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium intracellulare, and Mycobacterium scrofulaceum in the ciliated phagocytic protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis. There was a linear relationship between FAM and colony counts of M. avium cells both from cultures and within protozoa. The Ziehl-Neelsen acid-fast stain could not be used to enumerate intracellular mycobacteria because uninfected protozoa contained acid-fast, bacterium-like particles. Starved, 7-day-old cultures of T. pyriformis transferred into fresh medium readily phagocytized M. avium, M. intracellulare, and M. scrofulaceum. Phagocytosis was rapid and reached a maximum in 30 min. M. avium, M. intracellulare, and M. scrofulaceum grew within T. pyriformis, increasing by factors of 4- to 40-fold after 5 days at 30°C. Intracellular M. avium numbers remained constant over a 25-day period of growth (by transfer) of T. pyriformis. Intracellular M. avium cells also survived protozoan encystment and germination. The growth and viability of T. pyriformis were not affected by mycobacterial infection. The results suggest that free-living phagocytic protozoa may be natural hosts and reservoirs for M. avium, M. intracellulare, and M. scrofulaceum.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Fralin Biotechnology Center, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0346. Phone: (540) 231-5931. Fax: (540) 231-7126. E-mail: jofiii{at}vt.edu.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, October 2001, p. 4432-4439, Vol. 67, No. 10
0099-2240/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/AEM.67.10.4432-4439.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Falkinham, J. O. III (2007). Growth in catheter biofilms and antibiotic resistance of Mycobacterium avium. J Med Microbiol 56: 250-254 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Bland, C. S., Ireland, J. M., Lozano, E., Alvarez, M. E., Primm, T. P. (2005). Mycobacterial Ecology of the Rio Grande. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 5719-5727 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Pickup, R. W., Rhodes, G., Arnott, S., Sidi-Boumedine, K., Bull, T. J., Weightman, A., Hurley, M., Hermon-Taylor, J. (2005). Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in the Catchment Area and Water of the River Taff in South Wales, United Kingdom, and Its Potential Relationship to Clustering of Crohn's Disease Cases in the City of Cardiff. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 2130-2139 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Eddyani, M., Ofori-Adjei, D., Teugels, G., De Weirdt, D., Boakye, D., Meyers, W. M., Portaels, F. (2004). Potential Role for Fish in Transmission of Mycobacterium ulcerans Disease (Buruli Ulcer): an Environmental Study. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 5679-5681 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Taylor, S. J., Ahonen, L. J., de Leij, F. A. A. M., Dale, J. W. (2003). Infection of Acanthamoeba castellanii with Mycobacterium bovis and M. bovis BCG and Survival of M. bovis within the Amoebae. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69: 4316-4319 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»