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Advances in Rickettsia Pathogenicity
Author(s) -
Balraj Premanand,
Renesto Patricia,
Raoult Didier
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04517.x
Subject(s) - rickettsiosis , rickettsia , pathogenicity , biology , intracellular , intracellular parasite , microbiology and biotechnology , genome , bacteria , virology , genetics , gene , virus
One century after the first description of rickettsiae as human pathogens, the rickettsiosis remained poorly understood diseases. These microorganisms are indeed characterized by a strictly intracellular location which has, for long, prohibited their detailed study. Within the last ten years, the completion of the genome sequences of several strains allowed gaining a better knowledge about the molecular mechanisms involved in rickettsia pathogenicity. Here, we summarized available data concerning the critical steps of rickettsia‐host cell interactions that should contribute to tissue injury and diseases, that is, adhesion, phagosomal escape, motility, and intracellular survival of the bacteria.