12 Jul Malignant Bacteria Infects Brain and Spinal Cord Through Nasal Inhalation

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Jenny A. K. Ekberg
Eskitis Institute for Drug Discovery
Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University
Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology,
School of Medical Science, Griffith University
Queensland, Australia

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Response: Melioidosis is a tropical bacterial infection that causes around 90,000 deaths world-wide each year. It is caused by the bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei which can cause pneumonia and a serious flu-like illness which can cause death, however if the brain is infected, which happens in particular with the Australian variant of the disease, the mortality is particularly high (~25 %). The route by which the bacteria invade and progress through the central nervous system is to date largely unknown. We have now shown in an animal model that the bacteria can penetrate the trigeminal nerve within the nasal cavity and then rapidly invade the brainstem and spinal cord only 24 hours after intranasal inoculation. By migrating along the trigeminal nerve, the bacteria bypasses the blood-brain barrier.This study constitutes the first characterization of the path by which B. pseudomallei bacteria migrate all the way from the nasal cavity into the spinal cord.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: These results represent the first direct demonstration of transit of a bacterium from the nasal cavity to the central nervous system via the trigeminal nerve. The bacteria can rapidly penetrate the lining of the nasal cavity, infect the trigeminal nerve branches and use these to reach the brain and spinal cord. Once in the brainstem and spinal cord the bacteria could proliferate and cause debilitating lesions which may be potentially fatal. Now that we know how fast the bacteria can penetrate the brain, medical professionals may be more aware of the rapid onset of symptoms and may be able to identify and treat the bacteria.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response: As the low-level of bacteria may mean that it does not produce any immediate symptoms, we are wondering what the long term consequences are of low-level infection? Do the bacteria hide away until sometime later and do little bits of incremental damage? So we are now examining the consequences of long term low-level infection. Another question is whether other bacteria can also use this nerve route to rapidly penetrate the brain and if so what are the consequences? This is difficult to determine as there as potentially so many bacteria, but we now need to start thinking that they could use the trigeminal nerve to reach the brain.

MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community.

Citation:
James A. St John, Heidi Walkden, Lynn Nazareth, Kenneth W. Beagley, Glen C Ulett, Michael Batzloff, Ifor R. Beacham, Jenny A. K. Ekberg. Burkholderia pseudomalleirapidly infects the brainstem and spinal cord via the trigeminal nerve after intranasal inoculation.. Infection and Immunity, 2016; IAI.00361-16 DOI: 10.1128/IAI.00361-16

Note: Content is Not intended as medical advice. Please consult your health care provider regarding your specific medical condition and questions.

More Medical Research Interviews on MedicalResearch.com

[wysija_form id=”5″]

Last Updated on July 12, 2016 by Marie Benz MD FAAD