Related Experiment Videos
Intracellular penetration and survival of Streptococcus pyogenes in respiratory epithelial cells in vitro
1Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
Abstract:
Recurrence of pharyngotonsillitis caused by S. pyogenes after seemingly adequate antibiotic treatment has puzzled scientists for many years. We investigated the ability of S. pyogenes to invade HEp-2 cells and survive intracellularly. Five strains were tested, of which two were isolated from patients with recurrent pharyngotonsillitis, two without recurrent infection, while one was a reference strain. All five strains were found capable of penetrating the cells and surviving intracellularly for between 4 and 7 days. In this manner, an intracellular reservoir of bacteria was created, with the potential to cause recurrent infections.
Insights
Streptococcus pyogenes can invade host cells and survive inside them, creating a reservoir for recurrent infections. This intracellular survival explains why pharyngotonsillitis may return even after antibiotic treatment.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Recurrent pharyngotonsillitis caused by Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes) presents a clinical challenge.
- The mechanism behind treatment failure and infection recurrence remains incompletely understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the intracellular survival capabilities of S. pyogenes within HEp-2 cells.
- To determine if intracellular invasion and survival correlate with recurrent pharyngotonsillitis.
Main Methods:
- Invasion assays using HEp-2 cells.
- Intracellular survival of five S. pyogenes strains (two recurrent, two non-recurrent, one reference) was monitored over several days.
Main Results:
- All tested S. pyogenes strains demonstrated the ability to invade HEp-2 cells.
- Bacteria survived intracellularly for 4 to 7 days across all tested strains.
- Intracellular bacterial reservoirs were established within host cells.
Conclusions:
- S. pyogenes possesses the ability to invade and survive within host cells.
- Intracellular bacterial reservoirs may serve as a mechanism for recurrent pharyngotonsillitis.
- Understanding intracellular survival is crucial for developing strategies against recurrent S. pyogenes infections.