title: Persistent bacterial infections: the interface of the pathogen and the host immune system.
abstract: Persistent bacterial infections involving Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. typhi) and Helicobacter pylori pose significant public-health problems. Multidrug-resistant strains of M. tuberculosis and S. typhi are on the increase, and M. tuberculosis and S. typhi infections are often associated with HIV infection. This review discusses the strategies used by these bacteria during persistent infections that allow them to colonize specific sites in the host and evade immune surveillance. The nature of the host immune response to this type of infection and the balance between clearance of the pathogen and avoidance of damage to host tissues are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA. dmonack@leland.stanford.edu
authors.forename: Denise M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Monack
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.forename: Stanley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Falkow
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012485:Salmonella typhi / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D014435:Typhoid Fever / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology