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Factors affecting bacterial
pathogenicity | Bacteriology |
Microbe Notes
7-9 minutes
Factors determining Bacterial Pathogenicity
1. Host Susceptibility
2. Host Resistance
3. Presence of Bacterial Virulence Factors
4. Presence of Host-mediated Pathogenesis
5. Ability for Intracellular Growth
References
A microbe that is capable of causing disease is referred to as
a pathogen.
Pathogenicity is the ability of a microorganism to cause disease
in another organism, namely the host.
Pathogens vary in their ability to produce disease.
The measurement of pathogenicity is called virulence, with
highly virulent pathogens being more likely to cause disease in a
host.
“Virulence” is a quantitative measure of the pathogenicity of a
micro-organism that may be expressed by the ratio of the
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number of individuals developing clinical illness to the number of
individuals exposed to the micro-organism, or in a comparative
manner, by the number of individuals that develop clinical illness
if the same dose of different microorganisms is applied to each
of them.
Factors determining Bacterial
Pathogenicity
Pathogenic bacteria have evolved a number of different
mechanisms, which result in disease in the host.
The virulence factors and determinants used by bacteria to
interact with the host can be unique to specific pathogens or
conserved across several different species or even genera.
For instance, common mechanisms for adherence, invasion,
evasion of host defenses and damage to host cells are shared
by profoundly different microbial pathogens.
However, a virulence factor can only contribute to the
pathogenic potential of a bacterium in and as far as the micro-
organism possesses the constellation of traits conducive to
pathogenicity.
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1. Host Susceptibility
Susceptibility to bacterial infections depends on the physiologic
and immunologic condition of the host and on the virulence of
the bacteria.
Before increased amounts of specific antibodies or T cells are
formed in response to invading bacterial pathogens, the
“nonspecific” mechanisms of host resistance (such as
polymorphonuclear neutrophils and macrophage clearance)
must defend the host against the microbes.
Development of effective specific immunity (such as an antibody
response to the bacterium) may require several weeks.
The normal bacterial flora of the skin and mucosal surfaces also
serves to protect the host against colonization by bacterial
pathogens.
Fortunately, most bacteria in the environment are relatively
benign to individuals with normal immune systems.
However, patients who are immunosuppressed, such as
individuals receiving cancer chemotherapy or have AIDS,
opportunistic microbial pathogens can establish life-threatening
infections.
Example: In most healthy individuals, bacteria from the normal
flora that occasionally penetrate the body (e.g., during tooth
extraction or routine brushing of teeth) are cleared by the host’s
cellular and humoral mechanisms. In contrast, individuals with
defective immune responses are prone to frequent, recurrent
infections with even the least virulent bacteria.
A compromised physiologic and/or immunologic condition of the
host thus aids the pathogenicity of pathogens.
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2. Host Resistance
Numerous physical and chemical attributes of the host protect
against bacterial infection.
These defenses include the antibacterial factors in secretions
covering mucosal surfaces and the rapid rate of replacement of
skin and mucosal epithelial cells.
Once the surface of the body is penetrated, bacteria encounter
an environment virtually devoid of free iron needed for growth,
which requires many of them to scavenge for this essential
element.
Bacteria invading tissues encounter phagocytic cells that
recognize them as foreign, and through a complex signaling
mechanism involving interleukins, eicosanoids, and
complement, mediate an inflammatory response in which many
lymphoid cells participate.
3. Presence of Bacterial Virulence Factors
In order for a bacterium to be virulent, it must have capabilities
that allow it to infect a host.
These capabilities arise from physical structures that the
bacterium has or chemical substances that the bacterium can
produce.
Collectively the characteristics that contribute to virulence are
called virulence factors.
Bacterial pathogens have evolved specific virulence factors that
allow them to multiply in their host or vector without being killed
or expelled by the host’s defenses.
Capsule: Bacterial capsules are protective coatings that
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surround the entire bacterial cell wall. They are composed of
sugars except in the case of Bacillus anthracis whose capsule is
composed of D-glutamine.
Flagella: Flagella are long, whip-like proteinaceous filaments
which are anchored within the bacterial cell wall and can extend
several times the length of the bacteria itself. Rotation of
bacterial flagella allows for bacterial movement, which is usually
in the direction of nutrients.
Pili: Pili are short, hair-like proteinaceous filaments, anchored to
the bacterial cell wall, that extend only a short distance.
Spores: Spores are small, metabolically inactive forms of
bacteria that can survive for years. They contain little else
beyond the bacterial genome, cell wall, and an extremely tough
keratin-like outer coating.
Toxins: These are proteins released by certain bacteria which
can severely dysregulate critical cellular processes or improve
the capacity of proteins to invade tissues.
Siderophores: Siderophores are iron-binding factors that allow
some bacteria to compete with the host for iron, which is bound
to hemoglobin, transferrin, and lactoferrin.
Other adherence, colonization factors, and invasion factors
4. Presence of Host-mediated
Pathogenesis
The pathogenesis of many bacterial infections cannot be
separated from the host immune response, for much of the
tissue damage is caused by the host response rather than by
bacterial factors.
Classic examples of host response-mediated pathogenesis are
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seen in diseases such as Gram-negative bacterial sepsis,
tuberculosis, and tuberculoid leprosy.
The tissue damage in these infections is caused by toxic factors
released from the lymphocytes, macrophages, and
polymorphonuclear neutrophils infiltrating the site of infection.
Often the host response is so intense that host tissues are
destroyed, allowing resistant bacteria to proliferate.
5. Ability for Intracellular Growth
In general, bacteria that can enter and survive within eukaryotic
cells are shielded from humoral antibodies and can be
eliminated only by a cellular immune response.
However, these bacteria must possess specialized mechanisms
to protect them from the harsh effects of the lysosomal enzymes
encountered within the cell.
References
1. https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/docserver/9789264253018
en.pdf?expires=1554285369&id=id&accname=guest&
checksum=102B9FC7249C369C039F269E255730EF
2. http://library.open.oregonstate.edu/microbiology/chapter
/bacterial-pathogenicity/
3. http://textbookofbacteriology.net/pathogenesis.html
4. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/path.1700370204
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK8526/
6. http://www.pathwaymedicine.org/bacterial-virulence-factors
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