Corynebacterium Pseudotuberculosis Pathogenesis in Ruminants
Summary
Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis is a Gram-positive, facultative intracellular pathogen responsible for caseous lymphadenitis in sheep and goats, and ulcerative lymphangitis in cattle and buffalo. Entry often occurs via skin abrasions, with dissemination to regional lymph nodes where caseous abscesses form. The bacterial exotoxin phospholipase D promotes vascular permeability and spread, while iron-acquisition systems (Fag operon) support survival within host macrophages. Biovar ovis predominantly infects small ruminants, exhibiting clonal behaviour and conserved virulence islands, whereas biovar equi, more genetically diverse, affects equids and occasionally alpacas. Biofilm formation and resistance determinants further complicate control. Chronic abscessation leads to production losses and zoonotic concern. Despite conventional vaccines targeting exotoxin antigens, protective efficacy remains variable, driving research into novel subunit and peptide-based formulations. Genomic advances, immunological profiling and molecular epidemiology are converging to illuminate host–pathogen interactions and guide targeted interventions against this globally significant veterinary pathogen.
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Corynebacterium Pseudotuberculosis Pathogenesis in Ruminants publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis pathogenesis in ruminants across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Caseous lymphadenitis: Chronic disease in small ruminants characterised by caseous abscesses in lymph nodes.
Phospholipase D (PLD): Exotoxin facilitating tissue invasion by hydrolysing host cell membranes.
Virulence factor: Molecule produced by a pathogen that contributes to its ability to cause disease.
Biovar: Subdivision within a bacterial species defined by physiological or biochemical characteristics.
Facultative intracellular pathogen: Organism capable of surviving and replicating both inside and outside host cells.
References
- Bioinformatic Approach of B and T Cell Epitopes of PLD and CP40 Proteins of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis ovis Mexican Isolate 2J-L towards a Peptide-Based Vaccine. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023).
- Isolation, characterization, and pathogenicity assessment of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis biovar equi strains from alpacas (Vicugna pacos) in China. Frontiers in Microbiology (2023).
- Ovine and Caprine Strains of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis on Czech Farms—A Comparative Study. Microorganisms (2024).
- The Pan-Genome of the Animal Pathogen Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis Reveals Differences in Genome Plasticity between the Biovar ovis and equi Strains. PLOS ONE (2013).
- Distribution of PLD and FagA, B, C and D genes in Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis isolates from sheep and goats with caseus lymphadenitis. Genetics and Molecular Biology (2013).
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