Title |
Pathogenic archaea: do they exist?
|
---|---|
Published in |
BioEssays, October 2003
|
DOI | 10.1002/bies.10354 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Ricardo Cavicchioli, Paul M.G. Curmi, Neil Saunders, Torsten Thomas |
Abstract |
Archaea are microorganisms that are distinct from bacteria and eukaryotes. They are prevalent in extreme environments, and yet found in most ecosystems. They are a natural component of the microbiota of most, if not all, humans and other animals. Despite their ubiquity and close association with humans, animals and plants, no pathogenic archaea have been identified. Because no archaeal pathogens have yet been identified, there is a general assumption that archaeal pathogens do not exist. This review examines whether this is a good assumption by investigating the potential for archaea to be or become pathogens. This is achieved by addressing: the diversity of archaea versus known pathogens, opportunities for archaea to demonstrate pathogenicity and be detected as pathogens, reports linking archaea with disease, and immune responses to archaea. In addition, molecular and genomic data are examined for the presence of systems utilised in pathogenesis. The view of this report is that, although archaea can presently be described as non-pathogenic, they have the potential to be (discovered as) pathogens. The present optimistic view that there are no archaeal pathogens is tainted by a severe lack of relevant knowledge, which may have important consequences in the future. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Japan | 2 | 15% |
United States | 2 | 15% |
Slovenia | 1 | 8% |
United Kingdom | 1 | 8% |
Czechia | 1 | 8% |
Unknown | 6 | 46% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Members of the public | 10 | 77% |
Scientists | 2 | 15% |
Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 1 | 8% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Brazil | 3 | 1% |
Germany | 2 | <1% |
France | 2 | <1% |
United Kingdom | 2 | <1% |
United States | 2 | <1% |
Belgium | 1 | <1% |
Uruguay | 1 | <1% |
Denmark | 1 | <1% |
Luxembourg | 1 | <1% |
Other | 0 | 0% |
Unknown | 193 | 93% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Ph. D. Student | 54 | 26% |
Student > Master | 30 | 14% |
Researcher | 29 | 14% |
Student > Bachelor | 20 | 10% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 11 | 5% |
Other | 30 | 14% |
Unknown | 34 | 16% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 92 | 44% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 36 | 17% |
Immunology and Microbiology | 14 | 7% |
Environmental Science | 11 | 5% |
Medicine and Dentistry | 4 | 2% |
Other | 11 | 5% |
Unknown | 40 | 19% |