Pathogenicity of anaerobic gram-negative rods: possible mechanisms.
The literature dealing with the pathogenicity of anaerobic gram-negative rods in humans is reviewed. Knowledge concerning definite pathogenic mechanisms is, at best, cursory. There is evidence that encapsulation plays a role in the pathogenicity of Bacteroides fragilis and some of the black-pigmented Bacteroides. A range of enzymes, among them collagenase and IgA protease, are produced by several Bacteroides species. Supernatants of Fusobacterium necrophorum cultures may be leukotoxic. Synergism between anaerobic gram-negative rods and other bacterial species has been demonstrated in experimental animals.
D000371:Agglutination; D001439:Bacteroides / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D002473:Cell Wall; D002630:Chemotactic Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D004798:Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000382:microbiology; D005673:Fusobacterium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D010587:Phagocytosis; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology
D002630:Chemotactic Factors; D004731:Endotoxins; D004798:Enzymes; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial