Virji Mumtaz
Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, University Walk, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK.
Nat Rev Microbiol. 2009 Apr;7(4):274-86. doi: 10.1038/nrmicro2097.
Although renowned as a lethal pathogen, Neisseria meningitidis has adapted to be a commensal of the human nasopharynx. It shares extensive genetic and antigenic similarities with the urogenital pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae but displays a distinct lifestyle and niche preference. Together, they pose a considerable challenge for vaccine development as they modulate their surface structures with remarkable speed. Nonetheless, their host-cell attachment and invasion capacity is maintained, a property that could be exploited to combat tissue infiltration. With the primary focus on N. meningitidis, this Review examines the known mechanisms used by these pathogens for niche establishment and the challenges such mechanisms pose for infection control.
尽管脑膜炎奈瑟菌作为一种致命病原体而闻名，但它已适应成为人类鼻咽部的共生菌。它与泌尿生殖系统病原体淋病奈瑟菌具有广泛的遗传和抗原相似性，但表现出独特的生活方式和生态位偏好。它们共同对疫苗开发构成了相当大的挑战，因为它们能以惊人的速度调节其表面结构。尽管如此，它们的宿主细胞附着和侵袭能力得以维持，这一特性可用于对抗组织浸润。本综述主要聚焦于脑膜炎奈瑟菌，研究了这些病原体用于建立生态位的已知机制以及此类机制对感染控制带来的挑战。
