[Stress proteins: virulence factors of intracellular disease agents?]

Stress proteins (heat shock proteins, hsp) play a crucial role in the fight between infectious agent and host. To a certain degree, increased hsp synthesis protects the pathogen from host-derived defence mechanisms and abundant hsp synthesis results in a strong anti-hsp immune response which may contribute to acquired resistance. Hsp can be considered ubiquitous evasion factors of infectious agents. Also, host cells can protect themselves from injurious sequelae of infection by increasing hsp synthesis. Hsp are highly conserved and immunity against regions shared by host and pathogen may lead to an autoimmune response.