Persistent infection and apoptosis induced by Orientia tsutsugamushi

초록

Orientia tsutsugamushi is an obligate intracellular bacterium and its intracellular development is closely associated with host cell. During the intracellular development of orientia, it is highly possible that the modulation of host cell physiology occurs for the benefit of orientia, including apoptosis of host cells. We have found that the infection of human endothelial cell line, ECV304, with orientia resulted in persistent infection host cell.