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Initial steps of the pathogenesis of the infection caused by Streptococcus suis : fighting against nonspecific defenses
Author(s) -
Segura Mariela,
Calzas Cynthia,
Grenier Daniel,
Gottschalk Marcelo
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1002/1873-3468.12364
Subject(s) - pathogenesis , streptococcus suis , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , immunology , biochemistry , virulence , gene
Interactions between a bacterial pathogen and its potentially susceptible host are initiated with the colonization step. During respiratory/oral infection, the pathogens must compete with the normal microflora, resist defense mechanisms of the local mucosal immunity, and finally reach, adhere, and breach the mucosal epithelial cell barrier in order to induce invasive disease. This is the case during infection by the swine and zoonotic pathogen Streptococcus suis , which is able to counteract mucosal barriers to induce severe meningitis and sepsis in swine and in humans. The initial steps of the pathogenesis of S. suis infection has been a neglected area of research, overshadowed by studies on the systemic and central nervous phases of the disease. In this Review article, we provide for the first time, an exclusive focus on S. suis colonization and the potential mechanisms involved in S. suis establishment at the mucosa, as well as the mechanisms regulating mucosal barrier breakdown. The role of mucosal immunity is also addressed. Finally, we demystify the extensive list of putative adhesins and virulence factors reported to be involved in the initial steps of pathogenesis by S. suis .