Open AccessPathogenesis of pneumococcal infection
Author(s) -
SH Gillespie,
Indran Balakrishnan
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of medical microbiology/journal of medical microbiology
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.91
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1473-5644
pISSN - 0022-2615
DOI - 10.1099/0022-1317-49-12-1057
Subject(s) - pathogenesis , virulence , pathogen , immunology , immune system , pneumococcal infections , disease , biology , streptococcus pneumoniae , pneumococcal disease , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , gene , antibiotics , genetics , pathology
The pathogenesis of pneumococcal infection is a complex interplay between pneumococcal virulence determinants and the host immune response. Molecular studies have considerably advanced our knowledge and understanding of the precise structures and functions of the different determinants and their pathogenic roles. This review describes the mechanisms by which pneumococci attach, invade, evade lung defences and cause severe disease. Better understanding of the critical steps in this complex process will enable more effective clinical intervention to be developed to reduce the mortality exacted by this versatile pathogen.