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History and Prospects of Coxiella burnetii Research

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Coxiella burnetii: Recent Advances and New Perspectives in Research of the Q Fever Bacterium

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((volume 984))

Abstract

Coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of Q fever, is the only known intracellular pathogenic bacterium that replicates within the acidic, degradative confines of a eukaryotic phagolysosome. It appears that the bacterium nullifies or thwarts the toxic elements of this vacuole and evades both innate and adaptive immune responses. C. burnetii is ubiquitous in its geographic distribution with the disease prevalence more widespread than previously considered. Recent molecular and cell biological advances, along with improved instrumentation, have provided unique insight into the host-parasite interrelationship and revealed previously unknown virulence strategies of C. burnetii. An example is completion of the genome sequences of several strains of C. burnetii that has improved our understanding of pathogenic mechanisms used by the organism to cause disease in mammalian hosts.

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Conflicts of Interest

The author declares no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wadsworth center for Laboratory and Research, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, 12208, USA

    Karim E. Hechemy

  2. 5 Windham Court, Clifton Park, NY, 12065, USA

    Karim E. Hechemy

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  1. Karim E. Hechemy
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Correspondence to Karim E. Hechemy .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Virology, Dept. of Rickettsiology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, Bratislava, 845 05, Slovakia

    Rudolf Toman

  2. Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Coxiella Pathogenesis Section, NIH/NIAID, South Fourth Street 903, Hamilton, 59840, Montana, USA

    Robert A. Heinzen

  3. , Microbial and Molecular Pathogenesis, College of Medicine, Texas A&M, Joe H. Reynolds Medical Building, College Station 407, College Station, 77843-1114, Texas, USA

    James E. Samuel

  4. Institut Fédératif de Recherche 48, Les Maladies Infect Transmissibles, CNRS-IRD UMR 6236, Bd Jean Moulin 27, Marseille, Cedex 05, 13385, France

    Jean-Louis Mege

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Hechemy, K.E. (2012). History and Prospects of Coxiella burnetii Research. In: Toman, R., Heinzen, R., Samuel, J., Mege, JL. (eds) Coxiella burnetii: Recent Advances and New Perspectives in Research of the Q Fever Bacterium. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 984. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4315-1_1

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