How does Streptococcus pneumoniae evade the immune system?
In order to evade the anti-bacterial effects of complement, pneumococci have developed many virulence factors that impair complement activity, thus contributing to bacterial evasion from the immune system (Jarva et al., 2003).
What does pneumococcus bacteria cause?
Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) can cause a range of different illnesses including sinusitis, otitis media, pneumonia, bacteraemia, osteomyelitis, septic arthritis and meningitis. Vaccines are available that help prevent invasive pneumococcal disease (such as bacteraemia and meningitis).
Is Streptococcus pneumoniae extracellular bacteria?
Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) is the classic example of a highly invasive, Gram-positive, extracellular bacterial pathogen. It is a major cause of morbidity and mortality globally causing more deaths than any other infectious disease.
What does streptococcus do to the body?
Strep infection may lead to inflammatory illnesses, including: Scarlet fever, a streptococcal infection characterized by a prominent rash. Inflammation of the kidney (poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis) Rheumatic fever, a serious inflammatory condition that can affect the heart, joints, nervous system and skin.
Why is Streptococcus pneumoniae so virulent?
Polysaccharide capsule: S. pneumoniae’s extracellular polysaccharide capsule, the most important virulence factor (55), helps to initiate infection by allowing the bacterium to adhere to host cells and cause inflammation, while also providing protection from the host’s immune system (54, 55).
How does pneumococcus cause pneumonia?
The bacteria that cause pneumococcal pneumonia are called Streptococcus pneumoniae. These bacteria can spread from person to person through coughing or close contact. When these bacteria get into the lungs, they can cause some of the alveoli (air sacs in the lungs) to become inflamed and fill with mucus.
What is the cure for pneumococcal pneumonia?
Doctors use antibiotics to treat pneumococcal disease. However, some pneumococcal bacteria have become resistant to certain antibiotics used to treat these infections. Available data show that pneumococcal bacteria are resistant to one or more antibiotics in 3 out of every 10 cases.
How is Streptococcus pneumonia transmitted?
Transmission of Streptococcus pneumoniae occurs as the result of direct person-to-person contact via respiratory droplets. The pneumococcal serotypes most often responsible for causing infection are those most frequently found in carriers.
Is Staphylococcus aureus extracellular bacteria?
The human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) was originally considered solely as an extracellular bacterium, but is now recognized additionally to invade host cells, which might be crucial for persistence.
Is Streptococcus pneumoniae intracellular or extracellular?
Although S. pneumoniae is an extracellular microbe, intracellular detection of pneumococcal components is critical for bacterial clearance. In this study, we show that following bacterial uptake and degradation by phagocytes, pneumococcal products access the host cell cytosol via its pore-forming toxin.