title: Pathogens penetrating the central nervous system: infection pathways and the cellular and molecular mechanisms of invasion.
abstract: The brain is well protected against microbial invasion by cellular barriers, such as the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB). In addition, cells within the central nervous system (CNS) are capable of producing an immune response against invading pathogens. Nonetheless, a range of pathogenic microbes make their way to the CNS, and the resulting infections can cause significant morbidity and mortality. Bacteria, amoebae, fungi, and viruses are capable of CNS invasion, with the latter using axonal transport as a common route of infection. In this review, we compare the mechanisms by which bacterial pathogens reach the CNS and infect the brain. In particular, we focus on recent data regarding mechanisms of bacterial translocation from the nasal mucosa to the brain, which represents a little explored pathway of bacterial invasion but has been proposed as being particularly important in explaining how infection with Burkholderia pseudomallei can result in melioidosis encephalomyelitis.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Samantha J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Dando
authors.affiliation: Eskitis Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mackay-Sim
authors.affiliation: Townsville Hospital, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Norton
authors.affiliation: Menzies School of Health Research and Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Bart J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Currie
authors.affiliation: Eskitis Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: St John
authors.affiliation: Eskitis Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Jenny A K
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ekberg
authors.affiliation: Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Batzloff
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Science and Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia g.ulett@griffith.edu.au i.beacham@griffith.edu.au.
authors.forename: Glen C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Ulett
authors.affiliation: Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia g.ulett@griffith.edu.au i.beacham@griffith.edu.au.
authors.forename: Ifor R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Beacham
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D002494:Central Nervous System Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007157:Immunologic Surveillance; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000382:microbiology; D009832:Olfactory Nerve / Q000382:microbiology; D014276:Trigeminal Nerve / Q000382:microbiology