Competition between two common nose bacteria involves some interesting trickery, according to a new study in PLoS Pathogens. "We're looking at how bacteria use their host, and we've found that the presence of one species leads to the elimination of another," says Jeffrey Weiser, coauthor of the study and professor of pediatrics and microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine.
In a mouse model, Haemophilus influenzae--a common bacterium that infects children--stimulates the immune system to send out specialized white blood cells that attack its competitor, Streptococcus pneumoniae--a leading cause of pneumonia. "It is striking that the host's response can so completely eliminate the competitor," says Weiser.
The findings also demonstrate how antibiotics and vaccines that target one microbe might inadvertently alter the competitive interactions among other species present.
Citation: Lysenko ES, Ratner AJ, Nelson AL, Weiser JN (2005) The role of innate immune responses in the outcome of interspecies competition for colonization of mucosal surfaces. PLoS Pathogens 1(1): e1.
PLEASE ADD THE LINK TO THE PUBLISHED ARTICLE IN ONLINE VERSIONS OF YOUR REPORT: http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.0010001
CONTACT:
Jeffrey N. Weiser M.D.
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
402A Johnson Pavilion
3610 Hamilton Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6076
215-573-3511; FAX 215-573-4856
weiser@mail.med.upenn.edu
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