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Adherence of microorganisms in infections of the respiratory tract
Author(s) -
Dudley James P.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1288/00005537-198201000-00015
Subject(s) - respiratory tract , gastrointestinal tract , respiratory system , mechanism (biology) , microorganism , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , respiratory tract infections , host factors , immunology , medicine , bacteria , anatomy , philosophy , genetics , virus , epistemology , biochemistry
Although upper respiratory infections are a cause of significant morbidity, the mechanism by which microorganisms have a toxic effect on these mucosal surfaces is only beginning to be understood. Human and animal research has indicated that microbial adherence to the host cell is one of the initial elements responsible for microbial toxicity to respiratory and gastrointestinal epithelium. The role played by adherence is governed by a variety of host and microbial factors. A clearer understanding of the role of these factors should help to promote methods of interfering with this toxic process and thus limit morbidity produced by these infections.