Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Pneumonia I: Introduction

Pneumonia I: Introduction

Pneumonia is an infection of the lower respiratory tract that leads to inflammation of the lung parenchyma, often resulting in the accumulation of inflammatory exudate in the alveoli and airways. Unlike the watery, low-protein fluid exudate in pulmonary edema, the exudate in this case is a thick fluid rich in immune cells, proteins, and debris produced during infection and inflammation.This impairs gas exchange and can lead to consolidation of lung tissue. The infection may be caused by a...

Pneumonia I: Introduction

Pneumonia I: Introduction

Pneumonia is an acute respiratory infection that targets the lungs, specifically the alveoli. These tiny air sacs, essential for oxygen exchange, become engorged with pus and fluid, severely hindering breathing, decreasing oxygen absorption, and causing significant pain and discomfort during respiration.
Risk Factors
Various factors influence the likelihood of developing pneumonia. Age plays a crucial role, with infants, children under two, and individuals over 65 at increased risk due to their...

Pneumonia IV: Management

Pneumonia IV: Management

The treatment of pneumonia varies based on its severity and the causative pathogen. Here is a structured approach to managing pneumonia, integrating pharmaceutical and supportive care strategies.
Bacterial Pneumonia Treatment
For bacterial pneumonia, antibiotics serve as the cornerstone of therapy. Initial treatment often begins with empirical antibiotics, tailored to the anticipated causative organism and adjusted based on culture results. Key antibiotic choices include:

Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA

Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and acquisition...

Atypical Pneumonia

Atypical Pneumonia

Atypical pneumonia, often caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, is a form of pulmonary infection that differs from the classical presentation of bacterial pneumonia in both its cause and clinical symptoms. Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a pleomorphic bacterium notable for its lack of a rigid cell wall. This structural characteristic imparts resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics and significantly influences the bacterium’s behavior within the human host.Other pathogens responsible for the disease include...

Pneumonia III: Complications and Assessment

Pneumonia III: Complications and Assessment

Pneumonia poses the potential for numerous complications that warrant consideration. These complications include the following:

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

The need to strengthen laboratory leadership, systems, and networks to enhance outbreak detection and resilience in Africa: proceedings of a regional workshop.

BMC proceedings·2026

Same author

Clonal expansion of global pneumococcal sequence cluster 3 within serotype 8 after 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine introduction, South Africa.

Microbial genomics·2026

Same author

Public Health Response to Toxigenic Respiratory Diphtheria Outbreaks at Correctional Facility, South Africa, 2023-2025.

Emerging infectious diseases·2026

Same author

Oropouche virus: transmission, epidemiology, genetic diversity, and public health implications.

EClinicalMedicine·2026

Same author

Identification and genomic characterization of BA.3.2: a highly divergent BA.3-related SARS-CoV-2 lineage from southern Africa.

Virus evolution·2026

Same author

Serotype-specific pneumococcal invasiveness: a global meta-analysis of paired estimates of disease incidence and carriage prevalence.

The Lancet. Microbe·2026

Same journal

Erratum for the Research Article "Detecting supramolecular organic nanoparticles during heat wave".

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026

Same journal

Local signals, systemic decline.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026

Same journal

The mechanics of liver regeneration.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026

Same journal

Computing in a memory with physics.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026

Same journal

Retraction.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026

Same journal

Making time.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Following in Real Time the Impact of Pneumococcal Virulence Factors in an Acute Mouse Pneumonia Model Using Bioluminescent Bacteria

Following in Real Time the Impact of Pneumococcal Virulence Factors in an Acute Mouse Pneumonia Model Using Bioluminescent Bacteria

Published on: February 23, 2014

Rapid pneumococcal evolution in response to clinical interventions.

Nicholas J Croucher¹, Simon R Harris, Christophe Fraser

¹The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK.

Science (New York, N.Y.)

|January 29, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Genomic plasticity in Streptococcus pneumoniae allows rapid adaptation. This bacterial pathogen undergoes frequent recombination, enabling quick evolution of resistance and immune evasion, impacting public health interventions.

More Related Videos

Characterization of Inflammatory Responses During Intranasal Colonization with Streptococcus pneumoniae

Characterization of Inflammatory Responses During Intranasal Colonization with Streptococcus pneumoniae

Published on: January 17, 2014

A Mouse Model for the Transition of Streptococcus pneumoniae from Colonizer to Pathogen upon Viral Co-Infection Recapitulates Age-Exacerbated Illness

A Mouse Model for the Transition of Streptococcus pneumoniae from Colonizer to Pathogen upon Viral Co-Infection Recapitulates Age-Exacerbated Illness

Published on: September 28, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Following in Real Time the Impact of Pneumococcal Virulence Factors in an Acute Mouse Pneumonia Model Using Bioluminescent Bacteria

Following in Real Time the Impact of Pneumococcal Virulence Factors in an Acute Mouse Pneumonia Model Using Bioluminescent Bacteria

Published on: February 23, 2014

Characterization of Inflammatory Responses During Intranasal Colonization with Streptococcus pneumoniae

Characterization of Inflammatory Responses During Intranasal Colonization with Streptococcus pneumoniae

Published on: January 17, 2014

A Mouse Model for the Transition of Streptococcus pneumoniae from Colonizer to Pathogen upon Viral Co-Infection Recapitulates Age-Exacerbated Illness

A Mouse Model for the Transition of Streptococcus pneumoniae from Colonizer to Pathogen upon Viral Co-Infection Recapitulates Age-Exacerbated Illness

Published on: September 28, 2022

Area of Science:

Microbiology
Genomics
Epidemiology

Background:

Naturally transformable bacterial pathogens like Streptococcus pneumoniae present challenges in epidemiological studies due to high recombination rates.
Distinguishing true mutations from horizontal gene transfer is crucial for understanding bacterial evolution.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the genomic plasticity and evolutionary dynamics of the multidrug-resistant PMEN1 lineage of Streptococcus pneumoniae.
To differentiate base substitutions from recombination events in a large isolate collection.

Main Methods:

Whole-genome sequencing of 240 Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from the PMEN1 lineage.
Analysis of sequence data to identify and quantify recombination events and base substitutions.
Tracking of genetic changes associated with antimicrobial resistance and capsule switching.

Main Results:

Over 700 recombination events were detected within the sequenced isolates.
Genes encoding major antigens were frequently impacted by recombination, including 10 capsule-switching events.
Observed multiple independent evolutions of resistance to fluoroquinolones, rifampicin, and macrolides.
A capsule-switching event correlated with the emergence of vaccine-escape serotype 19A in the USA post-vaccine introduction.

Conclusions:

Genomic plasticity in Streptococcus pneumoniae facilitates rapid adaptation to selective pressures, including clinical interventions.
Recombinogenic bacteria can evolve resistance and immune evasion strategies on short timescales.
Understanding these evolutionary dynamics is critical for developing effective control strategies against bacterial pathogens.