Anti-immunology: evasion of the host immune system by bacterial and viral pathogens.
Multicellular organisms possess very sophisticated defense mechanisms that are designed to effectively counter the continual microbial insult of the environment within the vertebrate host. However, successful microbial pathogens have in turn evolved complex and efficient methods to overcome innate and adaptive immune mechanisms, which can result in disease or chronic infections. Although the various virulence strategies used by viral and bacterial pathogens are numerous, there are several general mechanisms that are used to subvert and exploit immune systems that are shared between these diverse microbial pathogens. The success of each pathogen is directly dependant on its ability to mount an effective anti-immune response within the infected host, which can ultimately result in acute disease, chronic infection, or pathogen clearance. In this review, we highlight and compare some of the many molecular mechanisms that bacterial and viral pathogens use to evade host immune defenses.
Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z4 Canada. bfinlay@interchange.ubc.ca
B Brett
BB
Finlay
Grant
G
McFadden
D000940:Antigenic Variation; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D016923:Cell Death; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004266:DNA Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007157:Immunologic Surveillance; D008954:Models, Biological; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000276:immunology; D012327:RNA Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D037521:Virulence Factors; D018406:Virus Physiological Phenomena
D016207:Cytokines; D037521:Virulence Factors; D003165:Complement System Proteins