Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25375158›Full record

ArticlePloS one2014

The central nervous system as target of Bacillus anthracis toxin independent virulence in rabbits and guinea pigs.

Haim Levy, Itai Glinert, Shay Weiss, Elad Bar-David, Assa Sittner, Josef Schlomovitz, Zeev Altboum, David Kobiler

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
13citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.3field-weighted citation impact, top 41% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 22 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Postexposure Prophylaxis and Treatment of Bacillus anthracis Infections: A Systematic Review and Meta-analyses of Animal Models, 1947-2019.Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America · 2022
    Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Central Nervous System Antimicrobial Exposure and Proposed Dosing for Anthrax Meningitis.Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America · 2024
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Rapid and Sensitive Multiplex Assay for the Detection ofPathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2020
    Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Treating Anthrax-Induced Meningitis in Rabbits.Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy · 2018
    Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Haim LevyDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel.
Itai GlinertDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel.
Shay WeissDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel.
Elad Bar-DavidDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel.
Assa SittnerDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel.
Josef SchlomovitzDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel.
Zeev AltboumDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel.
David KobilerDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel.
Israel Institute for Biological Research · IL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Infection of the central nervous system is considered a complication of Anthrax and was reported in humans and non-human primates. Previously we have reported that Bacillus anthracis possesses a toxin-independent virulent trait that, like the toxins, is regulated by the major virulence regulator, AtxA, in the presence of pXO2. This toxin-independent lethal trait is exhibited in rabbits and Guinea pigs following significant bacteremia and organ dissemination. Various findings, including meningitis seen in humans and primates, suggested that the CNS is a possible target for this AtxA-mediated activity. In order to penetrate into the brain tissue, the bacteria have to overcome the barriers isolating the CNS from the blood stream. Taking a systematic genetic approach, we compared intracranial (IC) inoculation and IV/SC inoculation for the outcome of the infection in rabbits/GP, respectively. The outstanding difference between the two models is exhibited by the encapsulated strain VollumΔpXO1, which is lethal when injected IC, but asymptomatic when inoculated IV/SC. The findings demonstrate that there is an apparent bottleneck in the ability of mutants to penetrate into the brain. Any mutant carrying either pXO1 or pXO2 will kill the host upon IC injection, but only those carrying AtxA either on pXO1 or in the chromosome in the background of pXO2 can penetrate into the brain following peripheral inoculation. The findings were corroborated by histological examination by H&E staining and immunofluorescence of rabbits' brains following IV and IC inoculations. These findings may have major implications on future research both on B. anthracis pathogenicity and on vaccine development.

Indexed as

AnthraxAntigens, BacterialBacillus anthracisBacterial ProteinsBacterial ToxinsTrans-ActivatorsAnimalsBrainChromosomes, BacterialGuinea PigsHumansRabbitsanthrax toxinAntigens, BacterialATXA protein, Bacillus anthracisBacterial ProteinsBacterial ToxinsTrans-Activators

Identifiers

PMID25375158
PMCPMC4223028
OpenAlexW2027817367

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.