Bacterial Pathogenesis: Bacterial Factors that Damage the Host

I. BACTERIAL PATHOGENESIS

C. VIRULENCE FACTORS THAT DAMAGE THE HOST: AN OVERVIEW

The overall purpose of this Learning Object is to list three different factors that promote bacterial pathogenicity by permitting bacteria to damage or harm a host. Each of these factors will be described in greater detail in subsequent sections.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR THIS SECTION

In this section on Bacterial Pathogenesis, we are looking at bacterial virulence factors that can influence its ability to cause infectious disease. These virulence factors will be divided into two categories:

1. virulence factors that promote bacterial colonization of the host, and
2. virulence factors that damage the host.

In this section we will look at virulence factors that damage the host.

Virulence Factors that Damage the Host: An Overview

Virulence factors that damage the host include:

1. The ability to produce cell wall components (pathogen-associated molecular patterns or PAMPS) that bind to host cells causing them to synthesize and secrete inflammatory cytokines and chemokines;

2. The ability to produce harmful exotoxins.

3. The ability to induce autoimmune responses.

We will now look at each of these factors in greater detail.

QUIZ YOURSELF ON THIS SECTION

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