How bacteria resist attack.Byline: ANI Washington, Nov 2 (ANI): The bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pseudomonas aeruginosa A normal soil inhabitant and human saprophyte that may contaminate various solutions in a hospital, causing opportunistic infection in weakened Pts Clinical Infective endocarditis in IVDAs, RTIs, UTIs, bacteremia, meningitis, 'malignant' can 'switch on' production of molecules that kill white blood cells White blood cells A group of several cell types that occur in the bloodstream and are essential for a properly functioning immune system. Mentioned in: Abscess Incision & Drainage, Bone Marrow Transplantation, Complement Deficiencies - preventing the bacteria being eliminated by the body's immune system immune system Cells, cell products, organs, and structures of the body involved in the detection and destruction of foreign invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells. Immunity is based on the system's ability to launch a defense against such invaders. , say researchers the University of Copenhagen The University of Copenhagen (Danish: Københavns Universitet) is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. and the Technical University of Denmark The Technical University of Denmark (Danish: Danmarks Tekniske Universitet, DTU) was founded in 1829 as the 'College of Advanced Technology' (Danish: Den Polytekniske Læreanstalt). . P. aeruginosa is responsible for many hospital-acquired infections and also causes chronic infections in those with pre-existing medical conditions such as cystic fibrosis (CF). The bacteria cause persistent lung infections by clumping together to form a biofilm Biofilm An adhesive substance, the glycocalyx, and the bacterial community which it envelops at the interface of a liquid and a surface. When a liquid is in contact with an inert surface, any bacteria within the liquid are attracted to the surface and adhere , which spreads over the lungs like a slime and are generally resistant to antibiotics as well as the host immune response. It was found that P. aeruginosa uses a well-studied communication system called quorum sensing (QS) to detect approaching white blood cells and warn other bacteria in the biofilm. In response to this signal, the bacteria increase their production of molecules called rhamnolipids. These molecules sit on the biofilm surface to form a shield that destroys any white blood cells that encounter it. Interrupting quorum sensing to halt the "launch a shield" response could be a way of treating these bacteria that can resist antibiotics as well as the host immune system. Professor Michael Givskov from the University of Copenhagen who led the study believes there are significant clinical benefits to this research. "The ultimate goal [of this research] is to eradicate the present day's antibiotic-resistant bacteria that are involved in the bulk of chronic infections," he said. "Antibiotic resistance is one of the most serious emerging health problems in the world today. More than 70 percent of the disease-ausing bacteria are resistant to at least one of the currently available antibiotics. Studying interactions between P. aeruginosa and the innate and adaptive immune response will provide valuable information for the design of novel antimicrobials," he added. (ANI) Copyright 2009 Asian News International The Asian News International (ANI) agency provides multimedia news to China and 50 bureaus in India. It covers virtually all of South Asia since its foundation and presently claims, on its official website, to be the leading South Asia-wide news agency. (ANI) - All Rights Reserved. Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company |
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