Effects of Burkholderia pseudomallei and other Burkholderia species on eukaryotic cells in tissue culture

Burkholderia pseudomallei causes melioidosis, a serious and often fatal bac terial infection. B. pseudomallei can behave as a facultatively intracellul ar organism and this ability may be important in the pathogenesis of both a cute and chronic infection. The uptake of B. pseudomallei and other Burkhol deria spp. by cells in tissue culture was examined by electron microscopy. B. pseudomallei can invade cultured cell lines including phagocytic lines s uch as RAW264, J774 and U937, and non-phagocytic lines such as CaCO-2, Hep2 , HeLa, L929, McCoy, Vero and CHO. Uptake was followed by the intracellular multiplication of B. pseudomallei and the induction of cell fusion and mul tinucleate giant cell formation. Similar effects were produced by B. mallei and B. thailandensis.