by Elio — A few years ago, we celebrated one of the prettiest discoveries in modern microbiology, achieving the growth of Coxiella burnetii outside its host cells in laboratory media. The excitement was justified, as this organism had been a prototype of a strictly intracellular organism. Best I know, it does not naturally grow outside of cells, despite having the ability to do so.
by S. Marvin Friedman — To the consternation of medical students and others who are obliged to learn such matters for exams, the number of special attributes that distinguish one pathogen from the others is colossal. But to those who are genuinely interested in the world of pathogens, each assortment of distinguishing properties holds its…
by Elio — Surprise! Coxiella burnetii, the agent of Q fever, has been grown in cell-free media. This is news because, along with rickettsiae and a few others, C. burnetii is the stereotypical obligate intracellular bacterial parasite. Until now, coxiellae could only be grown within a host or in host cells in culture. So how did...
