Factors Affecting Bacterial Pathogenicity

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Factors affecting bacterial

pathogenicity | Bacteriology |
Microbe Notes
7-9 minutes
Factors determining Bacterial Pathogenicity
1. Host Susceptibility
2. Host Resistance
3. Presence of Bacterial Virulence Factors
4. Presence of Host-mediated Pathogenesis
5. Ability for Intracellular Growth
References
A microbe that is capable of causing disease is referred to as

a pathogen.
Pathogenicity is the ability of a microorganism to cause disease

in another organism, namely the host.
Pathogens vary in their ability to produce disease.
The measurement of pathogenicity is called virulence, with

highly virulent pathogens being more likely to cause disease in a
host.
“Virulence” is a quantitative measure of the pathogenicity of a

micro-organism that may be expressed by the ratio of the
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number of individuals developing clinical illness to the number of

individuals exposed to the micro-organism, or in a comparative
manner, by the number of individuals that develop clinical illness
if the same dose of different microorganisms is applied to each
of them.
Factors determining Bacterial

Pathogenicity
Pathogenic bacteria have evolved a number of different

mechanisms, which result in disease in the host.
The virulence factors and determinants used by bacteria to

interact with the host can be unique to specific pathogens or
conserved across several different species or even genera.
For instance, common mechanisms for adherence, invasion,

evasion of host defenses and damage to host cells are shared
by profoundly different microbial pathogens.
However, a virulence factor can only contribute to the

pathogenic potential of a bacterium in and as far as the micro-
organism possesses the constellation of traits conducive to
pathogenicity.
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1. Host Susceptibility
Susceptibility to bacterial infections depends on the physiologic

and immunologic condition of the host and on the virulence of
the bacteria.
Before increased amounts of specific antibodies or T cells are

formed in response to invading bacterial pathogens, the
“nonspecific” mechanisms of host resistance (such as
polymorphonuclear neutrophils and macrophage clearance)
must defend the host against the microbes.
Development of effective specific immunity (such as an antibody

response to the bacterium) may require several weeks.
The normal bacterial flora of the skin and mucosal surfaces also
serves to protect the host against colonization by bacterial
pathogens.
Fortunately, most bacteria in the environment are relatively

benign to individuals with normal immune systems.
However, patients who are immunosuppressed, such as

individuals receiving cancer chemotherapy or have AIDS,
opportunistic microbial pathogens can establish life-threatening
infections.
Example: In most healthy individuals, bacteria from the normal

flora that occasionally penetrate the body (e.g., during tooth
extraction or routine brushing of teeth) are cleared by the host’s
cellular and humoral mechanisms. In contrast, individuals with
defective immune responses are prone to frequent, recurrent
infections with even the least virulent bacteria.
A compromised physiologic and/or immunologic condition of the

host thus aids the pathogenicity of pathogens.
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2. Host Resistance
Numerous physical and chemical attributes of the host protect

against bacterial infection.
These defenses include the antibacterial factors in secretions

covering mucosal surfaces and the rapid rate of replacement of
skin and mucosal epithelial cells.
Once the surface of the body is penetrated, bacteria encounter

an environment virtually devoid of free iron needed for growth,
which requires many of them to scavenge for this essential
element.
Bacteria invading tissues encounter phagocytic cells that

recognize them as foreign, and through a complex signaling
mechanism involving interleukins, eicosanoids, and
complement, mediate an inflammatory response in which many
lymphoid cells participate.
3. Presence of Bacterial Virulence Factors
In order for a bacterium to be virulent, it must have capabilities

that allow it to infect a host.
These capabilities arise from physical structures that the

bacterium has or chemical substances that the bacterium can
produce.
Collectively the characteristics that contribute to virulence are

called virulence factors.
Bacterial pathogens have evolved specific virulence factors that

allow them to multiply in their host or vector without being killed
or expelled by the host’s defenses.
Capsule: Bacterial capsules are protective coatings that
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surround the entire bacterial cell wall. They are composed of

sugars except in the case of Bacillus anthracis whose capsule is
composed of D-glutamine.
Flagella: Flagella are long, whip-like proteinaceous filaments

which are anchored within the bacterial cell wall and can extend
several times the length of the bacteria itself. Rotation of
bacterial flagella allows for bacterial movement, which is usually
in the direction of nutrients.
Pili: Pili are short, hair-like proteinaceous filaments, anchored to

the bacterial cell wall, that extend only a short distance.
Spores: Spores are small, metabolically inactive forms of

bacteria that can survive for years. They contain little else
beyond the bacterial genome, cell wall, and an extremely tough
keratin-like outer coating.
Toxins: These are proteins released by certain bacteria which

can severely dysregulate critical cellular processes or improve
the capacity of proteins to invade tissues.
Siderophores: Siderophores are iron-binding factors that allow

some bacteria to compete with the host for iron, which is bound
to hemoglobin, transferrin, and lactoferrin.
Other adherence, colonization factors, and invasion factors
4. Presence of Host-mediated
Pathogenesis
The pathogenesis of many bacterial infections cannot be

separated from the host immune response, for much of the
tissue damage is caused by the host response rather than by
bacterial factors.
Classic examples of host response-mediated pathogenesis are
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seen in diseases such as Gram-negative bacterial sepsis,

tuberculosis, and tuberculoid leprosy.
The tissue damage in these infections is caused by toxic factors

released from the lymphocytes, macrophages, and
polymorphonuclear neutrophils infiltrating the site of infection.
Often the host response is so intense that host tissues are

destroyed, allowing resistant bacteria to proliferate.
5. Ability for Intracellular Growth
In general, bacteria that can enter and survive within eukaryotic

cells are shielded from humoral antibodies and can be
eliminated only by a cellular immune response.
However, these bacteria must possess specialized mechanisms

to protect them from the harsh effects of the lysosomal enzymes
encountered within the cell.
References
1. https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/docserver/9789264253018
en.pdf?expires=1554285369&id=id&accname=guest&
checksum=102B9FC7249C369C039F269E255730EF
2. http://library.open.oregonstate.edu/microbiology/chapter
/bacterial-pathogenicity/
3. http://textbookofbacteriology.net/pathogenesis.html
4. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/path.1700370204
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK8526/
6. http://www.pathwaymedicine.org/bacterial-virulence-factors
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Factors affecting bacterial pathogenicity | Bacteriology | Microbe Notes about:reader?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmicrobenotes.com%2Ffactors-affe...

Factors affecting bacterial

Factors determining Bacterial Pathogenicity

3. Presence of Bacterial Virulence Factors

4. Presence of Host-mediated Pathogenesis

5. Ability for Intracellular Growth

A microbe that is capable of causing disease is referred to as

Pathogenicity is the ability of a microorganism to cause disease

Pathogens vary in their ability to produce disease.

The measurement of pathogenicity is called virulence, with

“Virulence” is a quantitative measure of the pathogenicity of a

number of individuals developing clinical illness to the number of

Factors determining Bacterial

Pathogenic bacteria have evolved a number of different

The virulence factors and determinants used by bacteria to

For instance, common mechanisms for adherence, invasion,

However, a virulence factor can only contribute to the

Susceptibility to bacterial infections depends on the physiologic

Before increased amounts of specific antibodies or T cells are

Development of effective specific immunity (such as an antibody

Fortunately, most bacteria in the environment are relatively

However, patients who are immunosuppressed, such as

Example: In most healthy individuals, bacteria from the normal

A compromised physiologic and/or immunologic condition of the

Numerous physical and chemical attributes of the host protect

These defenses include the antibacterial factors in secretions

Once the surface of the body is penetrated, bacteria encounter

Bacteria invading tissues encounter phagocytic cells that

3. Presence of Bacterial Virulence Factors

In order for a bacterium to be virulent, it must have capabilities

These capabilities arise from physical structures that the

Collectively the characteristics that contribute to virulence are

Bacterial pathogens have evolved specific virulence factors that

Capsule: Bacterial capsules are protective coatings that

surround the entire bacterial cell wall. They are composed of

Flagella: Flagella are long, whip-like proteinaceous filaments

Pili: Pili are short, hair-like proteinaceous filaments, anchored to

Spores: Spores are small, metabolically inactive forms of

Toxins: These are proteins released by certain bacteria which

Siderophores: Siderophores are iron-binding factors that allow

Other adherence, colonization factors, and invasion factors

The pathogenesis of many bacterial infections cannot be

Classic examples of host response-mediated pathogenesis are

seen in diseases such as Gram-negative bacterial sepsis,

The tissue damage in these infections is caused by toxic factors

Often the host response is so intense that host tissues are

5. Ability for Intracellular Growth

In general, bacteria that can enter and survive within eukaryotic

However, these bacteria must possess specialized mechanisms

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