Over the last 40 years, evidence has accumulated to suggest the ubiquitous presence of infections with intracellular bacteria of the genus Chlamydia in different livestock species. Different methods to clinical specimens substantiated such widespread, but mostly clinically unapparent, presumably low-level infections. In this initial epidemiological study, we addressed the question of chlamydial...

The asymptomatic, chronic carrier state of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi occurs in the bile-rich gallbladder and is frequently associated with the presence of cholesterol gallstones. We have previously demonstrated that salmonellae form biofilms on human gallstones and cholesterol-coated surfaces in vitro and that bile-induced biofilm formation on cholesterol gallstones promotes gallbladder...

Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 is essential for the defense against infection with gram-negative pathogens, but reduced TLR4 expression has not been linked to altered disease susceptibility in humans. In mice, Tlr4 controls the mucosal response to Escherichia coli urinary tract infections. Inactivation of mouse Tlr4 causes an asymptomatic carrier state resembling asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU). The...

The clinical severity of common hereditary elliptocytosis (HE) is highly variable. ranging from an asymptomatic carrier state to a severe hemolytic anemia. To elucidate the molecular basis of this variable clinical expression. we evaluated 56 subjects from 24 HE kindred. who carry a spectrin mutants characterized by a spectrin dimer (SpD) self-association defect related to a structural abnormal...

Postnatal horizontal transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in early childhood seems to be the predominant method by which high hepatitis B carrier rates in the Middle East are maintained. The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive status among siblings of HBV carriers is similar during childhood and adulthood, suggesting that childhood intrafamilial transmission patterns p...

Salmonellosis occurs worldwide in dogs and cats and is of clinical and public-health importance. Infections in these animals are usually asymptomatic, with intermittent excretion of Salmonella in faeces. Clinical syndromes, which are comparatively uncommon, are often most severe in young or debilitated animals. These syndromes include enterocolitis, septicaemia and, rarely, abortions. Conjuncti...