Melioidosis
The bacterium, Burkholderia pseudomallei which is classified as a tier 1 select agent and causes melioidosis is predominantly found in Southeast Asia and northern Australia. Its incidence spikes significantly during the time of the heavy rains. Our company stands ready to fulfill your requirements for the development of drugs and therapy for the therapeutic of Melioidosis.
Introduction to Melioidosis
Melioidosis is endured in the body due to Burkholderia pseudomallei, and predominantly affects individuals who are inhabitants of tropical and subtropical regions. It has different hotspots which include Southeast Asia and Northern Australia, which exhibit a considerably higher prevalence. Reports of this disease are increasing globally and estimates suggest there are over 165,000 cases reported and 89,000 deaths each year. It often occurs pneumonia, septicemia, skin infections, and other diseases with high mortality rate, especially severe ones that cause septic shock.
Fig. 1 The highest predicted melioidosis incidence. (Gassiep, I., et al., 2020)Pathogenesis of Melioidosis
Melioidosis has a complex pathogenesis and for the Burkholderia pseudomallei, having pathways and factors that greatly influence the morbidity of the host.
- Melioidosis is a complicated condition and as such most Burkholderia pseudomallei gram negative bacteria help in replication and survival of host cells with many unique approaches thanks to having large genomes.
- The core virulence structures include capsular polysaccharides (CPS), and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) which aid the bacteria in evading the immune system from the hosts.
- Type III (T3SS) and Type VI secretion systems (T6SS) are examples of specialized secretion systems that are particularly important in the invasion of host cells, the evasion of phagosomal niches, and the intracellular survival and replication of the pathogen.
Fig. 2 Proposed model of the intracellular lifestyle of B. pseudomallei in phagocytic cells. (Stone, J.K., et al., 2014)
Molecular Diagnosis Techniques for Melioidosis
| Methodologies | Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| PFGE | Cost-effective and highly discriminatory with excellent ability to categorize isolates | Time-consuming, taking up to 3-4 days to complete the lengthy PFGE protocol |
| Ribotyping | Differentiates bacterial strains based on their DNA | Unable to clarify transmission pathways; higher cost than PFGE; unreliable and irreproducible |
| RAPD | Inexpensive, rapid, and more sensitive typing method | Poor reproducibility of fingerprints; inconsistent patterns from different laboratories |
| MLST | Reliable, reproducible, robust, and easy to perform | Expensive; insensitive to genome-wide variation |
| Whole-genome sequencing | High-resolution strain detection | Expensive |
Phage Therapy for Melioidosis
Phage therapy (PT) is a technique that employs bacteriophages for therapeutic of certain illnesses. These viruses target and obliterate specific strains of bacteria, making them useful not only in healthcare, but also in veterinary, agricultural, and food industries. In contrast to chemical agents such as antibiotics that are designed to destroy bacteria, phages, which are naturally produced, prey on live bacteria. Their adaptability allows them to target specific bacteria and rapidly multiply which makes them effective against persistent bacterial infections, unlike antibiotics which are static in nature.
- Phage ST79 (P37): Myoviridae family, reduces biofilm formation at an MOI of 10, suitable for biocontrol of environmental B. pseudomallei or as an alternative therapy for human melioidosis.
- Phage ϕX216 (E0237): Myoviridae Subgroup A family, Highly host-specific with a broad strain infectivity range.
- Phage C34 (CMS): Myoviridae family, effectively reduces A549 cell infection and increases mouse survival, suitable as a therapeutic agent for melioidosis.
- Phage ST96 (P37): Myoviridae family, more effective on soil strains, useful for controlling multi-strain biofilms.
- Phage ΦBp-AMP1 (K96243): Podoviridae family, highly host-specific, first environmentally isolated podovirus effective against B. pseudomallei.
- Bacteriophage 365A (365A): Bacteriophage 365A family, effective against both ceftazidime-sensitive and resistant strains, reduces biofilm formation.
Our Services
As a firm, we believe in the power of collaboration with our clients to develop modern and precise therapy tactics against Melioidosis. We are with our clients at every step in the process providing uninterrupted and well-rounded support.
Platforms of Melioidosis Therapy Development
Animal Models of Melioidosis
We have broad experience in developing and working with animal models of Melioidosis specific for its disease features and their appropriate therapeutic responses. These models enable us to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of prospective therapeutics with precision.
| Non-Genetically Engineering Models | ||
|---|---|---|
| We provide an array of models designed to meet specific research requirements for Melioidosis. These models allow researchers to replicate and study the intricate biological processes associated with the disease. | ||
| Optional Models |
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| Optional Species | Mice, Rats, Non-human primates, Others | |
In addition, we offer a range of comprehensive animal model services that concentrate on specific signaling pathways and molecular targets.
If you are interested in our services, please contact us as soon as possible for more information.
References
- Gassiep, I., et al., "Human Melioidosis." Clin Microbiol Rev, (2020). 33(2).
- Stone, J.K., et al., "Melioidosis: molecular aspects of pathogenesis." Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther, (2014). 12(12): p. 1487-1499.
- Oslan, S.N.H., et al., "Comprehensive approaches for the detection of Burkholderia pseudomallei and diagnosis of melioidosis in human and environmental samples." Microb Pathog, (2022). 169: p. 105637.
All of our services and products are intended for preclinical research use only and cannot be used to diagnose, treat or manage patients.