Findings of Cambridge scientists, published today in the journal PLoS Pathogens, show a new mechanism used by bacteria to spread in the body with the potential to identify targets to prevent the dissemination of the infection process.
Salmonella enterica is a major threat to public health, causing systemic diseases (typhoid and paratyphoid fever), gastroenteritis and non-typhoidal septicaemia (NTS) in humans and in many animal species worldwide. In the natural infection, salmonellae are typically acquired from the environment by oral ingestion of contaminated water or food or by contact with a carrier. Current vaccines and treatments for S. enterica infections are not sufficiently effective, and there is a need to develop new therapeutic strategies.
Dr Andrew Grant, lead author of the study from the University of Cambridge, said: “A key unanswered question in infectious diseases is how pathogens such as Salmonella grow at the single-cell level and spread in the body. This gap in our knowledge is hampering our ability to target therapy and vaccines with accuracy.”
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