The novel ‘CandidatusAmphibiichlamydia ranarum’ is highly prevalent in invasive exotic bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus)

Abstract

Knowledge concerning microbial infectious diseases in the current amphibian crisis is rudimentary and largely limited to ranavirosis and chytridiomycosis. The family Chlamydiaceae is gaining attention as a common cause of disease in amphibians and may harbour new and emerging amphibian pathogens. We identified a novel species of Chlamydiales (Candidatus Amphibiichlamydia ranarum) with a prevalence of 71% in exotic invasive bullfrog tadpoles (Lithobates catesbeianus) from an introduced population in the Netherlands. The sequence of a 1474 bp 16S rRNA gene fragment showed that the novel taxon forms a well-defined clade with 'Candidatus Amphibiichlamydia salamandrae' within the Chlamydiaceae family. Although none of the tadpoles examined showed signs of clinical disease, urgent evaluation of its pathogenic potential for native amphibian species is required.

Characterisation of Chlamydia pneumoniae and other novel chlamydial infections in captive snakes

“…While chlamydiosis has been described in a number of reptiles and amphibians, different chlamydial species have been implicated (Berger et al, 1999;Soldati et al, 2004;Blumer et al, 2007;Robertson et al, 2010;Martel et al, 2013). C. pneumoniae, on the other hand, has been described more widely in reptiles such as snakes, iguanas and chameleons (Bodetti et al, 2002;Jacobson et al, 2002;Jacobson et al, 2004).…”

A phylogenomic and molecular markers based analysis of the phylum Chlamydiae: proposal to divide the class Chlamydiia into two orders, Chlamydiales and Parachlamydiales ord. nov., and emended description of the class Chlamydiia

“…The relationship between Candidatus Parilichlamydiaceae and Piscichlamydiaceae (Clade 3) and the other Chlamydiia families is unclear (Horn 2008;Lagkouvardos et al 2014). A separation of the genera Chlamydia, Candidatus Clavichlamydia and Candidatus Amphibiichlamydia which make up Clade 1, and the families, Parachlamydiaceae, Simkaniaceae and Waddliaceae and Candidatus families Criblamydiaceae, and Rhabdochlamydiaceae (which make up Clade 2) has been observed in prior phylogenetic work based on 16S rRNA gene sequences (Horn 2008(Horn , 2011bMartel et al 2013;Lagkouvardos et al 2014;Lory 2014), differing sets of concatenated genes or proteins (Griffiths et al 2005;Pannekoek et al 2008;Collingro et al 2011;Gupta et al 2012;Kamneva et al 2012) and the entire core genome of the phylum Chlamydiae (Pillonel et al 2015). The results presented in this work and past studies provide strong evidence supporting the existence of at least two phylogenetic clusters within the phylum Chlamydiae, class Chlamydiia.…”

Chlamydia abortus: New Aspects of Infectious Abortion in Sheep and Potential Risk for Pregnant Women

“…As a consequence many of the scientific community have declined use of the term Chlamydophila and have followed the concept of a one-genus, multiple species nomenclature [3], as proposed in Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology 2011 [4]. Since then, and with the identification of an increasing number of additional chlamydial species [5,6], the number of genera within the Chlamydiaceae has expanded to include Clavochlamydia [7] and Amphibiichlamydia [8,9] and a total of 15 species (Table 1).…”

“…Once internalized the EB differentiates into the replicating metabolically active but noninfectious reticulate body (RB;~1-1.6 μm in diameter). RBs reside in non-fusogenic vacuoles called Bull frog [9] inclusions and multiply by binary fission, while the inclusion continuously grows until the host cell cytoplasm is completely filled by the inclusion (Fig. 1a).…”