Here, we report that the bacterial capsule is enlarged when co-cultured with Acanthamoeba using India ink staining, and this effect depends on the number of parasites present. This interaction results in an enhancement of capsular polysaccharide production in the subsequent generations of K. pneumoniae, even without co-culturing with Acanthamoeba. The hypermucoviscosity of the capsule was examined using the sedimentation assay and string test. We also screened other K. pneumoniae serotypes, including K1, K2, K5, and K20, for interaction with Acanthamoeba using India ink staining, and found the same interaction effect.
These findings suggest that the interaction between Acanthamoeba and K. pneumoniae could lead to harmful consequences in public health and nosocomial disease control, particularly hypermucoviscous K. pneumoniae infections.
结果:这里,我们报告说,当使用印度墨水染色与棘阿米巴共培养时,细菌囊扩大,这种效果取决于寄生虫的数量。这种相互作用导致肺炎克雷伯菌后代荚膜多糖产量的增加,即使没有与棘阿米巴共培养。使用沉降测定和字符串测试检查胶囊的高粘膜粘度。我们还筛选了其他肺炎克雷伯菌血清型,包括K1,K2,K5和K20,使用印度墨水染色与棘阿米巴相互作用,并发现了相同的相互作用效应。
结论:这些发现表明,棘阿米巴和肺炎克雷伯菌之间的相互作用可能对公共卫生和医院疾病控制造成有害后果,特别是高粘膜粘性肺炎克雷伯菌感染。