Dispensability of Ascorbic Acid Uptake and Utilization Encoded by ulaABCD for the Virulence of Haemophilus ducreyi in Humans.

Brothwell, Julie A; Fortney, Kate R; Batteiger, Teresa; Katz, Barry P; Spinola, Stanley M · J Infect Dis · 2023

case_series · Level IV

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Abstract

Compared with wounded skin, ascorbic acid is enriched in pustules of humans experimentally infected with Haemophilus ducreyi. Compared with the broth-grown inocula, transcription of the H. ducreyi ulaABCD operon, which encodes genes for ascorbic acid uptake, is increased in pustules. We hypothesized that ascorbic acid uptake plays a role in H. ducreyi virulence. Five volunteers were infected with both H. ducreyi strain 35000HP and its isogenic ulaABCD deletion mutant at multiple sites; the papule and pustule formation rates of the mutant and parent strains were similar. Thus, ascorbic acid uptake is not essential for H. ducreyi virulence in humans.

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