Blagoveschensk, Blagoveshchensk, Russian Federation
VAC 14.02.2002 Эпидемиология
UDK 61 Медицина. Охрана здоровья
GRNTI 76.33 Гигиена и эпидемиология
OKSO 32.02.01 Медико-профилактическое дело
BBK 51 Социальная гигиена и организация здравоохранения. Гигиена. Эпидемиология
TBK 5703 Общие работы по здравоохранению и медицинской науке
BISAC MED028000 Epidemiology
In the blood of some residents of the Amur Region, structures similar to dormant elementary bodies of L-form bacteria were revealed. It is assumed that they are an indicator of persistent infection in the host. Therefore, it is necessary to expand the methods for studying donor blood and the blood of candidates for donors.
blood plasma, elementary bodies of L-forms, persistent infection.
Introduction. Using various methods of self-defense, microorganisms can exist for a long time in the human body without noticeable clinical manifestations. Using PCR amplification, 16S rRNA sequencing and electron microscopy, they were able to be visualized and isolated even from the blood of healthy people. So, in 1960 G. Tedeshi et al. [16] reported the presence of microbes in the erythrocytes of healthy people. After 10 years G.J. Domingue and J.U. Schlegel [4] in the blood of 71% of patients and in the blood of 7% of healthy individuals revealed bacteria similar to the forms of streptococci and staphylococci. Pleomorphic bacteria [10], fungi [13], viruses [15] and 16S pRNA [12, 19] were found in the blood of healthy individuals. Even controversial concepts appeared about the “blood microbiome” and “placenta microbiome” [1, 3], although microbiome (the common name for bacteria, viruses, microscopic fungi and protozoa) is still little studied.
Purpose of the study. Using scanning electron microscopy, visualize bacteria in the blood of practically healthy residents of the Amur Region.
Methodology. 69 blood plasma samples were examined. Of these, 67 samples were obtained from blood donors, medical workers, students, drivers, military personnel living in Blagoveshchensk, the most polluted city in the Amur Region. Two other respondents lived in the northern region and worked in a gold mining cooperative: one of them was a bulldozer driver, and the other washer operator. One drop (0.1 ml) of blood plasma was placed on the sticky surface of the tape, mounted on duplicates of the electron microscope stage. All preparations were dried, carbon sprayed in a vacuum chamber and then studied on a LEO 1420 scanning electron microscope (Germany).
Research results and discussion. The blood plasma of 77.61% of the inhabitants of Blagoveshchensk, like the plasma of two gold miners, contained dense, spherical or oval-shaped structures with smooth contours with a diameter of 0.15-0.32 microns without any inclusions both on the surface and inside (Fig. 1).
а в
с d
Fig. 1. Scanning electron microscopy:
a – elementary bodies (EB) in the blood plasma of thedonor (x 2820); b – EB in the blood plasma of a serviceman (x 4000); c – EB, their division (small arrow), single blood cells and cell fragments n the plasma of a bulldozer driver (x 5230); d – EB in the blood plasma flushing device operator (х 5000).
In the blood plasma of 20 townspeople (29.85%), they were single, in the plasma of 32 people aged 18–20 years (47.76%) accumulated by many dozens and only 15 people (22.39%) were absent. Moreover, some of these formations were divided unevenly in half, in several planes or by the formation of kidneys (Fig. 2).
а в
Fig. 2. Scanning electron microscopy of division of the L-forms of bacteria in the blood plasma:
a - unevenly in half; with - the formation of kidneys.
Given the separation method, the structures found in blood plasma are: a) not viruses; b) viable; c) function; g) resistant to the protective mechanisms of the body. In terms of size, morphology, electron density, division methods, we consider them as elementary bodies (EB) of L-forms of bacteria.
Since the discovery in 1935, L-forms have been available to researchers. The biological essence of this phenomenon was studied in detail by V.D. Timakov and G.Ya. Kagan [17, 18], and S.V. Prozorovsky et al. [14] showed the types of division of elementary bodies of L-forms. It turned out that these bodies have a three-layer membrane, ribosomes, sometimes a nucleoid. They are resistant to lack of water (up to 10 years) and high temperature [6]. These structures were found in brucellosis, tularemia, peritonitis and septic endocarditis, especially in tuberculosis [5, 9]. N. Markova et al. [11] isolated the L-forms of bacteria from the blood of 141 people previously vaccinated with BCG, and she is confident that these forms are involved in infectious diseases.
The return to the L-transformation of bacteria after a long and undeserved silence is explained by the need to detail the molecular genetic mechanisms of their formation, long-term survival in humans and animals, participation in chronic recurrent infections, in order to understand the early stages of cell evolution [7].
In world literature, L-forms are predominantly called "CWD bacteria" - forms with defects in the cell wall. Along with L-forms, spheroplasts and protoplasts are also included in this name. Now most researchers [2, 8] recommend CWD bacteria, persisters (a small subset of cells that survive at high doses of antibiotics) and live ones. but uncultured bacteria, called specialized forms of resting cells. Such forms form bacteria and fungi when their growth stops both in nature and in a macroorganism.
Conclusion. Thus, using scanning electron microscopy in the blood plasma of a number of practically healthy residents of the Amur Region, elementary bodies of L-form bacteria or resting bacteria were revealed. This indicates a persistent infection in the host and requires a different approach to blood testing, especially in blood donors.
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