Reports Outline Orientia tsutsugamushi Findings from Virginia Commonwealth University (orientia Tsutsugamushi Infection Reduces Host Gluconeogenic but Not Glycolytic Substrates).

Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University have found that Orientia tsutsugamushi, the bacterium responsible for scrub typhus, relies on host cell-derived nutrients for survival and pathogenesis. The study showed that the bacterium does not affect overall flux through host central carbon metabolism but reduces host cell mitochondrial activity and ATP levels. The findings suggest that O. tsutsugamushi is adept at scavenging from host metabolism, leading to alterations in host central carbon metabolism that are critical for pathogen fitness. The research was funded by the American Heart Association and the NIH, and the study has been peer-reviewed. [Extracted from the article]