PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
Trichomonas vaginalis is a pathogenic protozoan diffused worldwide capable of infecting the urogenital tract in humans, causing trichomoniasis. One of its most intriguing aspects is the ability to establish a close relationship with endosymbiotic microorganisms: the unique association of T. vaginalis with the bacterium Mycoplasma hominis represents, to date, the only example of an endosymbiosis involving two true human pathogens. Since its discovery, several aspects of the symbiosis between T. vaginalis and M. hominis have been characterized, demonstrating that the presence of the intracellular guest strongly influences the pathogenic characteristics of the protozoon, making it more aggressive towards host cells and capable of stimulating a stronger proinflammatory response. The recent description of a further symbiont of the protozoon, the newly discovered non-cultivable mycoplasma Candidatus Mycoplasma girerdii, makes the picture even more complex. This review provides an overview of the main aspects of this complex microbial consortium, with particular emphasis on its effect on protozoan pathobiology and on the interplays among the symbionts.
摘要：
阴道毛滴虫是一种在世界范围内传播的致病性原生动物，能够感染人类的泌尿生殖道，引起毛滴虫病.其最有趣的方面之一是与内共生微生物建立密切关系的能力：阴道毛虫与人型支原体代表的细菌的独特关联，到目前为止,唯一的例子是涉及两种真正的人类病原体的内共生。自从它被发现,已经表征了阴道毛虫和人马之间共生的几个方面，证明细胞内客体的存在强烈影响原生动物的致病特征，使其对宿主细胞更具攻击性，并能够刺激更强的促炎反应。最近对原生动物进一步共生体的描述，新发现的不可培养的念珠菌支原体，使画面更加复杂。这篇综述概述了这个复杂的微生物群落的主要方面，特别强调其对原生动物病理学的影响以及共生体之间的相互作用。
