Susceptibility and resistance to pneumococcal disease in mice

Although pneumococcus is a major pathogen of humans and, every year, the bacterium causes illness and death in millions of individuals, the genetic basis of susceptibility to the bacterium is unknown. Previous attempts to identify the gene explaining differing susceptibility to pneumococcal disease in humans have been without significant success. In order to develop new hypotheses that can be tested in humans, significant efforts have been made using mouse models of infection and disease. Indeed, the majority of the information so far obtained on pneumococcal disease in vivo has come from mouse studies. Mice differ in their response to pneumococcal disease, however, and the genetic basis of susceptibility to infection is unknown. This review summarises the current knowledge of mouse susceptibility and resistance to pneumococcal infection.