Abrams G D
Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109.
Am J Surg Pathol. 1988;12 Suppl 1:76-81.
The normal gastrointestinal tract is constantly "infected" by a large and varied microbial population. This normal flora plays a significant role in establishing and maintaining the normal state of the digestive tract. Although the digestive ecosystem thus constituted has a high degree of stability, some microbes have evolved virulence factors or characteristics that allow them to gain a foot-hold in the tract. Given the variety of virulence factors found in different organisms, gastrointestinal infectious diseases are characterized by a broad spectrum of patterns which differ with respect to the relationship between microbe and host, i.e., the degree of tissue penetration by the organism. Genetic analysis of virulence factors promises to deepen our understanding of the pathogenesis of these diseases and to lead ultimately to effective means of prevention.
正常的胃肠道不断受到大量多样的微生物群体的“感染”。这种正常菌群在建立和维持消化道的正常状态中起着重要作用。虽然由此构成的消化生态系统具有高度的稳定性，但一些微生物已经进化出毒力因子或特性，使它们能够在消化道中立足。鉴于在不同生物体中发现的多种毒力因子，胃肠道传染病具有广泛的模式，这些模式在微生物与宿主的关系方面有所不同，即生物体对组织的穿透程度。对毒力因子进行基因分析有望加深我们对这些疾病发病机制的理解，并最终带来有效的预防手段。
