Host-Microbe Biology
Editor's Pick Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyAirway Mucus Restricts Neisseria meningitidis Away from Nasopharyngeal Epithelial Cells and Protects the Mucosa from InflammationN. meningitidis is transmitted from person to person by aerosol droplets produced by breathing, talking, or coughing or by direct contact with a contaminated fluid. The natural reservoir of N. meningitidis is the human nasopharynx mucosa, located at the back of the nose and above the oropharynx. The...
Commentary | Host-Microbe BiologyMucus Is a Key Factor in Neisseria meningitidis CommensalismThe work presented by Audry et al. (M. Audry, C. Robbe-Masselot, J.-P. Barnier, B. Gachet, et al., mSphere 4:e00494-19, 2019, https://doi.org/10.1128/mSphere.00494-19) gives new insight into the interactions of Neisseria meningitidis and the human nasopharynx.
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyRousette Bat Dendritic Cells Overcome Marburg Virus-Mediated Antiviral Responses by Upregulation of Interferon-Related Genes While Downregulating Proinflammatory Disease MediatorsMarburg viruses (MARVs) cause severe human disease resulting from aberrant immune responses. Dendritic cells (DCs) are primary targets of infection and are dysregulated by MARV. Dysregulation of DCs facilitates MARV replication and virus dissemination and influences downstream immune responses that result in immunopathology. Egyptian rousette bats (ERBs) are natural reservoirs of MARV, and infection results in virus replication and...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyAnterior Nares Diversity and Pathobionts Represent Sinus Microbiome in Chronic RhinosinusitisThere is a clear need to better understand the pathology and specific microbiome features in chronic rhinosinusitis patients, but little is known about the bacterial topography and continuity between the different niches of the upper respiratory tract. Our work showed that the anterior nares could be an important reservoir for potential sinus pathobionts. This has implications for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of CRS. In...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyRapid Bladder Interleukin-10 Synthesis in Response to Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Is Part of a Defense Strategy Triggered by the Major Bacterial Flagellar Filament FliC and Contingent on TLR5Interleukin-10 is part of the immune response to urinary tract infection (UTI) due to E. coli, and it is important in the early control of infection in the bladder. Defining the mechanism of engagement of the immune system by the bacteria that enables the protective IL-10 response is critical to exploring how we might exploit this mechanism for new infection control...
Minireview | Host-Microbe BiologyVibrio cholerae at the Intersection of Immunity and the MicrobiomeVibrio cholerae is a noninvasive pathogen that colonizes the small intestine and produces cholera toxin, causing severe secretory diarrhea. Cholera results in long lasting immunity, and recent studies have improved our understanding of the antigenic repertoire of V. cholerae. Interactions between...
Observation | Host-Microbe BiologyThe Proton Pump Inhibitor Omeprazole Does Not Promote Clostridioides difficile Colonization in a Murine ModelAntibiotics are the primary risk factor for Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs), but other factors may also increase a person’s risk. In epidemiological studies, proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use has been associated with CDI incidence and recurrence. PPIs have also been associated with alterations in the human intestinal microbiota in observational and...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyShigella flexneri Adherence Factor Expression in In Vivo-Like ConditionsBacterial pathogens have evolved to regulate virulence gene expression at critical points in the colonization and infection processes to successfully cause disease. The Shigella species infect the epithelial cells lining the colon to result in millions of cases of diarrhea and a significant global health burden. As antibiotic resistance rates increase, understanding the mechanisms of infection is vital to ensure successful...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyCandida albicans Impacts Staphylococcus aureus Alpha-Toxin Production via Extracellular AlkalinizationCandida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus are commonly coisolated from central venous catheters and deep-seated infections, including intra-abdominal sepsis. Thus, they represent a significant cause of nosocomial morbidity and mortality. Yet how these organisms behave in the context of...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyA Metabolic Dependency for Host Isoprenoids in the Obligate Intracellular Pathogen Rickettsia parkeri Underlies a Sensitivity to the Statin Class of Host-Targeted TherapeuticsObligate intracellular pathogens, which include viruses as well as certain bacteria and eukaryotes, are a subset of infectious microbes that are metabolically dependent on and unable to grow outside an infected host cell because they have lost or lack essential biosynthetic pathways. In this study, we describe a metabolic dependency of the bacterial pathogen Rickettsia...