INSERM, Unité U1002, Paris, France.
Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2013 Jun 1;3(6):a012393. doi: 10.1101/cshperspect.a012393.
Neisseria meningitidis is responsible for two major diseases: cerebrospinal meningitis and/or septicemia. The latter can lead to a purpura fulminans, an often-fatal condition owing to the associated septic shock. These two clinical aspects of the meningococcal infection are consequences of a tight interaction of meningococci with host endothelial cells. This interaction, mediated by the type IV pili, is responsible for the formation of microcolonies on the apical surface of the cells. This interaction is followed by the activation of signaling pathways in the host cells leading to the formation of a microbiological synapse. A low level of bacteremia is likely to favor the colonization of brain vessels, leading to bacterial meningitis, whereas the colonization of a large number of vessels by a high number of bacteria is responsible for one of the most severe forms of septic shock observed.
脑脊膜炎和/或败血病。败血病可导致暴发性紫癜，由于相关败血性休克，这是一种常致命的病症。脑膜炎奈瑟菌感染的这两种临床方面是奈瑟球菌与宿主内皮细胞紧密相互作用的结果。这种由 IV 型菌毛介导的相互作用负责在细胞的顶端表面形成微菌落。这种相互作用随后被宿主细胞中的信号通路激活，导致微生物突触的形成。低水平的菌血症可能有利于脑部血管的定植，导致细菌性脑脊膜炎，而大量细菌定植大量血管则导致观察到的最严重形式之一的败血性休克。
