Survival of Coxiella burnetii within free-living amoeba Acanthamoeba castellanii.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether Coxiella burnetti is able to survive within free-living amoeba. METHODS When C. burnetii was co-cultivated with the free-living amoeba species Acanthamoeba castellanii. RESULTS Viable bacteria were detected for 18 days. Microscopic studies confirmed the presence of bacteria within vacuoles, some of which appeared to be spore-like forms. CONCLUSION These results indicate that free-living amoebae could provide an intracellular niche for the spore formation and survival of C. burnetii in the environment.

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