The recent emergence of the poultry bacterial pathogen Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) in free-living house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus), which causes mycoplasmal conjunctivitis in this passerine bird species, resulted in a rapid coevolutionary arms-race between MG and its novel avian host. Despite extensive research on the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of this host-pathogen system over the past two decades, the immunological responses of house finches to MG infection remain poorly understood. We developed seven new probe-based one-step quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assays to investigate mRNA expression of house finch cytokine genes (IL1B, IL6, IL10, IL18, TGFB2, TNFSF15, and CXCLi2, syn. IL8L). These assays were then used to describe cytokine transcription profiles in a panel of 15 house finch tissues collected at three distinct time points during MG infection. Based on initial screening that indicated strong pro-inflammatory cytokine expression during MG infection at the periorbital sites in particular, we selected two key house finch tissues for further characterization: the nictitating membrane, i.e., the internal eyelid in direct contact with MG, and the Harderian gland, the secondary lymphoid tissue responsible for regulation of periorbital immunity. We characterized cytokine responses in these two tissues for 60 house finches experimentally inoculated either with media alone (sham) or one of two MG isolates: the earliest known pathogen isolate from house finches (VA1994) or an evolutionarily more derived isolate collected in 2006 (NC2006), which is known to be more virulent. We show that the more derived and virulent isolate NC2006, relative to VA1994, triggers stronger local inflammatory cytokine signaling, with peak cytokine expression generally occurring 3-6 days following MG inoculation. We also found that the extent of pro-inflammatory interleukin 1 beta signaling was correlated with conjunctival MG loads and the extent of clinical signs of conjunctivitis, the main pathological effect of MG in house finches. These results suggest that the pathogenicity caused by MG infection in house finches is largely mediated by host pro-inflammatory immune responses, with important implications for the dynamics of host-pathogen coevolution.

• Klíčová slova
• avian pathogen, bird cytokine signalling, disease ecology, emerging infectious diseases, evolution of virulence, host–parasite interaction, periocular inflammation, wild immunology,
• MeSH
• bakteriální konjunktivitida imunologie   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• cytokiny analýza   biosyntéza   genetika   MeSH
• interakce hostitele a parazita imunologie   MeSH
• konjunktiva mikrobiologie   patologie   MeSH
• messenger RNA biosyntéza   genetika   MeSH
• Mycoplasma gallisepticum imunologie   MeSH
• nemoci ptáků imunologie   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• objevující se infekční nemoci mikrobiologie   veterinární   MeSH
• pěnkavovití imunologie   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• signální transdukce genetika   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
• Názvy látek
• cytokiny MeSH
• messenger RNA MeSH

Neisseria meningitidis is a rare cause of acute bacterial conjunctivitis. Systemic meningococcal disease follows meningococcal conjunctivitis in approximately one quarter of patients. Systemic antibiotic treatment is indicated in the case of meningococcal conjunctivitis to prevent spread of infection. We report 6-month-old boy who presented with meningococcal conjunctivitis and developed sepsis and meningitis in 24 hours. The course of the disease was favorable.

• MeSH
• antibakteriální látky terapeutické užití   MeSH
• bakteriální konjunktivitida diagnóza   farmakoterapie   MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• meningokokové infekce diagnóza   farmakoterapie   MeSH
• Neisseria meningitidis izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• sepse MeSH
• výsledek terapie MeSH
• Check Tag
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• kazuistiky MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antibakteriální látky MeSH

AIM: Following the previous study observing keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) after treated follicular conjunctivitis of chlamydial etiology from the years 1999-2002, at this time the authors would like to point out the possible connection between KCS appearance and Chlamydia pneumoniae infection. MATERIAL: In the Department of Ophthalmology, during the period of 12 months (in the years 2009 - 2010), there were treated 11 adult patients (6 women and 5 men) in the age of 28 - 81 years (median, 50 years) with follicular conjunctivitis lasting on average 2.5 years and caused by Chlamydia pneumoniae, and simultaneously were diagnosed the symptoms of KCS, out of the total number of 37 examined patients with similar clinical findings. METHODS: The diagnosis of chlamydial infection in clinical symptoms of follicular conjunctivitis and simultaneous signs of KCS was established partly according to the serologic positivity of chlamydial genus (anti-LPS) and/or species (anti-Ch. pneumoniae and anti-Ch. trachomatis) IgG, IgM, and IgA antibodies together with simultaneous anti-cHSP60 IgG positivity, further using conjunctival prints examined by means of indirect immunofluorescence method using specific monoclonal antibodies; in conjunctival smears and peripheral leucocytes was tested also the presence of Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA. The main subjective complaints of the patients were burning sensation, sticking, or foreign-body sensation; the itching and lacrimation were less common. Among clinical signs dominated the hyperemia and the edema of the lower fornix; the tortuosity of the vessels and the follicles were not always present. The KCS diagnosis was confirmed by Bengal rose staining. RESULTS: In 10 patients, the positive IgA and/or IgM anti-Ch. pneumoniae antibodies were detected. Simultaneously, the positive anti-cHSP60 IgG were confirmed, out of them medium- and high-positive findings were in 7 patients, and anti-LSP antibodies IgA and/or IgM in 8 of them. Positive smears were found in 6 patients. In 2 persons of this group of treated patients, the general serologic findings were not significant, but the Chlamydia pneumoniae infection was confirmed by Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA positivity in peripheral leucocytes; in these 2 patients, the symptoms lasted for one half of the year. As the side findings were the confirmations of active Chlamydia trachomatis infection in other 4 patients of the whole group. The patients with Chlamydia pneumoniae infection were treated systemically by macrolide antibiotic azithromycine for 12 days. After the treatment, above all else the clinical signs of conjunctival inflammation disappeared, but remained KCS symptoms, which were disappearing only slowly. The optimal supporting therapies were lubricant drops with different concentration of sodium hyaluronide without preservatives. Control microbiological examinations during 6 months after the treatment termination confirmed negative smears findings, but the antibody levels were not decreased significantly. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed the possible connection between the KCS and Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in simultaneous clinical signs of follicular conjunctivitis. Along with that the study pointed out the necessity of simultaneous evaluating of the microbial findings and clinical symptoms to consider the systemic antibiotic treatment.

• MeSH
• bakteriální konjunktivitida komplikace   diagnóza   MeSH
• Chlamydophila pneumoniae * MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• infekce bakteriemi rodu Chlamydophila komplikace   diagnóza   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• suchá keratokonjunktivitida komplikace   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• anglický abstrakt MeSH
• časopisecké články MeSH

• MeSH
• dějiny 18. století MeSH
• dějiny 19. století MeSH
• dějiny 20. století MeSH
• dějiny starověku MeSH
• dějiny středověku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• oční infekce dějiny   přenos   MeSH
• ozbrojené síly dějiny   MeSH
• trachom dějiny   přenos   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dějiny 18. století MeSH
• dějiny 19. století MeSH
• dějiny 20. století MeSH
• dějiny starověku MeSH
• dějiny středověku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• historické články MeSH

The authors examined 130 newborns and nursery children from September 1999 till May 2003 from the Prague district for the surmise of chlamydial conjunctivitis. Chlamydia infections were detected in conjunctival smears. Chlamydia trachomatis was confirmed in 20 (15.3%) using ligase chain reaction and C. pneumoniae in 16 (12.3%) children using an indirect immunofluorescent method. Direct captures of chlamydial infections of newborns were included in the study. The authors had also examined 671 newborns in a maternity hospital from January 2002 till May 2003. Conjunctival scraping had been done in 29 (4.3%) cases mainly for mucopurulent conjunctivitis. Chlamydial conjunctivitis was identified only in 4 (0.6%) cases, i.e. C. trachomatis and C. pneumoniae in 2 cases each. Initial clinical symptoms of both types of chlamydial conjunctivitis were similar (mucous discharge with various degrees of eyelid effusion and chemosis mainly on the tarsal conjunctiva). Clinical symptoms of the C. pneumoniae infection were later accompanied by pseudofollicular changes on the tarsal conjunctiva. The complication of this infection was lacrimal obstruction among half of newborns. Clarithromycin in syrup at a dose of 15 mg/kg/per day for 14 days ensured effective treatment of both chlamydial infections. Control scrapings were always negative and simultaneously the pathological conjunctival finding disappeared.

• MeSH
• antibakteriální látky terapeutické užití   MeSH
• Chlamydia trachomatis izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• chlamydiové infekce diagnóza   farmakoterapie   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• Chlamydophila pneumoniae izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• fluorescenční protilátková technika nepřímá MeSH
• infekce bakteriemi rodu Chlamydophila diagnóza   farmakoterapie   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• klarithromycin terapeutické užití   MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• konjunktiva mikrobiologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• ligasová řetězová reakce MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• ophthalmia neonatorum diagnóza   farmakoterapie   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antibakteriální látky MeSH
• klarithromycin MeSH

• MeSH
• dějiny 19. století MeSH
• dějiny 20. století MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• trachom dějiny   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dějiny 19. století MeSH
• dějiny 20. století MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• biografie MeSH
• časopisecké články MeSH
• historické články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Slovenská republika MeSH

• O autorovi
• Makovický, Dusan
• Hálek, Ivan
• Spanyol, Vojtĕch

• MeSH
• antigeny bakteriální analýza   MeSH
• Chlamydia trachomatis imunologie   MeSH
• fluorescenční protilátková technika přímá * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• trachom diagnóza   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• dopisy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antigeny bakteriální MeSH

The authors refer to 21 adult patients at the age of 22 to 87 years, who have suffered from a chronic form of follicular conjunctivitis, found to be caused by Chlamydia pneumoniae as the etiological agent. The observation was made in the period from July 1999 to December 2002. Chl. pneumoniae was detected by a direct demonstration of the conjunctiva smears and by means of serological examination. The print preparations on glass were examined by the method of indirect immunofluorescence by means of specific monoclonal antibodies (Medac, Germany). The serological examination included detection of genus-specific IgG, IgA, IgM antibodies, respectively (Medac, Germany) and species-specific anti-Ch. pneumoniae IgG, IgA abd IgM antibodies, respectively (FOCUS Technologies, U.S.A.). The clinical picture included various long-term subjective complaints (within the range of several months to ten years), particularly a pathological secretion or increased lacrimation, cutting, burning or feeling of a foreign body in the eye. The objective examination revealed chronic changes characterized by a mild edema of bulbar conjunctiva with increased meandering in vessels of irregular caliber and edema in the lower transition plica with follicular structure crossing into the tarsal conjunctiva. In the fornix there was an apparent sticking aqueous or mucinous secretion. The therapy was indicated by the positive smears alone in four patients or positive IgA and/or IgM of genus- or species-specific antibodies in 12 patients. The therapy in the remaining five patients was recommended by the combination of suspect-positive smears in combination with positive genus- or species specific antibody reaction. The therapy made use of systemic administration of a macrolide antibiotic, azithromycin, for the period of 12 to 14 days in a single course of treatment. The pretreatment was always followed by control smears after two weeks and by serological examinations after three and six months. The serological findings remained virtually unchanged during that period of time in all patients under observation. In two of them only the species-specific antibodies anti-Ch. pneumoniae IgA antibodies disappeared six months after the therapy. The clinical findings disappeared slowly, particularly the follicular changes occurred after more than six months after the therapy ended. The subjective complaints, accompanied by a transient hyperemia of conjunctives in particular, remained after the therapy in nine patients older than 45 years, who were found to suffer from kieratoconjnunctivitis sicca. The ocular symptomatology was not accompanied by symptoms of autoimmune disease. The general treatment by antibiotics and the results supportive treatment succeeded in 67% of patients who were completely free of subjective complaints and the pathological process in conjunctives was inhibited.

• MeSH
• bakteriální konjunktivitida mikrobiologie   MeSH
• Chlamydophila pneumoniae * MeSH
• chronická nemoc MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• infekce bakteriemi rodu Chlamydophila komplikace   diagnóza   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• suchá keratokonjunktivitida mikrobiologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• anglický abstrakt MeSH
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

The authors observed mucous discharge in palpebral aperture, accompanied by a different degree of effusion of eyelids and chemosis of conjunctivae, particularly the tarsal ones, in 12 physiological newborns. Chlamydia pneumoniae proved to be the etiological agent in the newborn ophthalmia. The eye infection was not detected in the same period of time and in the same maternity hospital in the period of observation from September 1999 to March 2001. The detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae was performed in conjunctiva smears. The impression films on slides were examined by the method of indirect immunofluorescence with the use of specific monoclonal antibodies (medac, Germany). In the early stages the secretion included a sanguineous component, which was then changing into a mucoid or mucopurulent form. The character of conjunctival symptoms was changing in the course of inflammation. Effusion of the lower transitory fold (plica) was gradually accompanied by a picture of pseudofollicular changes on the tarsal conjunctiva. Clarithromycin in the form of syrup at daily doses of 15 mg/kg/day for the period of two weeks offered an efficient therapy of the affection. Control smears after 14 days were always negative and, at the same time, the pathological finding on the conjunctivae disappeared. The nasolacrimal obstruction was the only complication of this chlamydia infection, taking place in seven sucklings, i.e. in 58%. The passage through lacrimal drainage system reappeared in all the affected infants until they reached one year of age. The remaining question to be answered is the way the newborns encountered the infection. A nosocomial infection may be the case, but Chlamydia pneumoniae could also be present in the urogenital tract of mothers and transferred to the newborn via the birth canal similarly as is the case of Chlamydia trachomatis infection. The mode of infection deserves further investigation.

• MeSH
• chlamydiové infekce * diagnóza   MeSH
• Chlamydophila pneumoniae * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• ophthalmia neonatorum diagnóza   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• anglický abstrakt MeSH
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

• MeSH
• ambulantní péče MeSH
• antigeny bakteriální analýza   MeSH
• Chlamydia trachomatis imunologie   MeSH
• chlamydiové infekce diagnóza   MeSH
• fluorescenční protilátková technika přímá * MeSH
• keratokonjunktivitida diagnóza   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• konjunktivitida inkluzní diagnóza   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• trachom diagnóza   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antigeny bakteriální MeSH