Bacterial pathogenesis as an imperfect symbiosis

Authors

  • Josep Casadesús Department of Genetics, University of Sevilla.

Abstract

Human-adapted bacterial pathogens such as Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi, Helicobacter pylori, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis cause acute infections and also latent, asymptomatic infections. During latent infection the pathogen undergoes self-attenuation of virulence, a lifestyle that reduces the impact of infection on host fitness. Evolutionary strategies of this kind may drive certain bacterial pathogens towards commensalism.

Keywords: evolution · human pathogens · host susceptibility · symbiosis

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Issue

Vol. 9 No. 1 (2013)

Section

Celebration of the Centennial of the Catalan Society for Biology, 1912–2012

License

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