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Intestinal Colonization Dynamics of Vibrio cholerae
Salvador Almagro-Moreno1, Kali Pruss1, Ronald K Taylor1
1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America.
Plos Pathogens
|May 22, 2015
Summary
Vibrio cholerae must overcome stomach acid and intestinal defenses to colonize the small intestine and cause cholera. Understanding these early colonization steps is key to developing new strategies against this diarrheal disease.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Cholera is a severe diarrheal disease caused by Vibrio cholerae.
- Effective intestinal colonization is essential for V. cholerae pathogenesis.
- The bacterium must navigate the stomach and survive the intestinal environment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent developments in understanding early V. cholerae intestinal colonization.
- To highlight knowledge gaps in V. cholerae colonization mechanisms.
- To propose a model for V. cholerae intestinal colonization.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of V. cholerae colonization studies.
- Analysis of bacterial survival mechanisms in the gastrointestinal tract.
- Postulation of a colonization model based on current knowledge.
Main Results:
- V. cholerae must penetrate the mucus layer and attach to the intestinal epithelium.
- Survival against bile salts and antimicrobial peptides is crucial.
- Early colonization involves navigating the stomach and adapting to the intestinal lumen.
Conclusions:
- A comprehensive understanding of V. cholerae early colonization is vital.
- Novel therapeutic targets can be identified by studying colonization dynamics.
- This knowledge can lead to strategies to prevent cholera and diseases caused by other intestinal pathogens.
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