Bacterial Pathogenesis

A. Overview of Microbial Pathogenesis

B. Virulence Factors that Promote Bacterial Colonization of the Host

1. The Ability to Use Motility and Other Means to Contact Host Cells

2. The Ability to Adhere to Host Cells and Resist Physical Removal

3. The Ability to Invade Host Cells

4. The Ability to Compete for Iron and Other Nutrients

5. The Ability to Resist Innate Immune Defenses such as Phagocytosis, Complement, and Antibacterial Peptides

a. An Overview

b. The Ability to Resist Phagocytic Engulfment (Attachment and Ingestion) and Antibacterial Peptides

c. The Ability to Resist Phagocytic Destruction

6. The Ability to Evade Adaptive Immune Defenses

C. Virulence Factors that Damage the Host: An Overview

1. The Ability of PAMPs to Trigger the Production of Inflammatory Cytokines that Result in an Excessive Inflammatory Response

a. Overall Mechanism

b. Gram-Negative Bacterial PAMPs

c. Gram-Positive Bacterial PAMPs

d. Acid-Fast Bacterial PAMPs

2. The Ability to Produce Harmful Exotoxins: An Overview

a. Type I Toxins: Superantigens

b. Type II Toxins: Toxins that Damage Host Cell Membranes

c. Type III Toxins: A-B Toxins and other Toxins that Interfere with Host Cell Function

3 . The Ability to Induce Autoimmune Responses

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