Plague Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Plague, including details on bubonic plague, yersinia pestis, infection, types, treatment.

The interaction between Yersinia pestis and host immune system.

Li B, Yang R

Laboratory of Analytical Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology. Beijing 100071, China.

Yersinia pestis is a facultative intracellular bacterium that can survive and proliferate inside of macrophages and cause bubonic, pneumonic and systemic infections. The occurrence of plague is a complex interaction between Y. pests and host. In order to survive inside of host, Y. pestis utilizes a variety of mechanisms to circumvent host defense systems. At the same time, host humoral and cellular immunity are induced to eliminate the bacteria. Therefore, characterization of interaction between Y. pestis and host immune system will allow us to gain insights into plague pathogenesis and discover more efficacious countermeasures.

Published 5 February 2008 in Infect Immun.
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