title: Modelling the onset of virulence in pathogenic bacteria.
abstract: Bacterial virulence is a multifactorial process. In this chapter, we review some known mechanisms used by bacteria to trigger their production of virulence factors. We develop the idea that although the onset of virulence shows up an abrupt transition, the modelling of this dynamics can be classified in two qualitatively distinct infectious transitions which are respectively called "shift" or "switch." We review methods enabling one to determine the types of behaviour that can be exhibited by a given model and we consider applications in three cases of virulence factor regulation. We conclude that in most cases a "successful" infection would require that the onset of virulence follows an irreversible switch behaviour.
authors.affiliation: Institut Non Linéaire de Nice, CNRS UMR 6618, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, Valbonne, France.
authors.forename: Wilfred D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Kepseu
authors.forename: Frédérique
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Van Gijsegem
authors.forename: Jacques-Alexandre
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Sepulchre
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D025461:Feedback, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D053038:Quorum Sensing / Q000502:physiology; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D037521:Virulence Factors