Bacterial Evasion of Host Immune Responses

Over the past fifty years cells and mediators involved in our immune defences have been painstakingly identified. However, it is only relatively recently that the ability of microorganisms to evade immunity has been recognized and investigated. This volume introduces the mechanisms used by bacteria to evade both humoral and cellular immune responses, using systems ranging in complexity from the simple quorum sensing molecules (acyl homoserine lactones) to the supramolecular syringe-like devices of type III secretion systems.

Comprehensive review of current research concerning how bacteria evade immunity and hence cause infection.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Eugene A Davidson, PhD(Georgetown University School of Medicine)
Description:This book contains a series of reviews on the mechanisms used by bacteria to evade immune responses in mammalian hosts. Humoral and cellular responses are considered, including those mediated by complement.
Purpose:The intent is to provide current information regarding methods/strategies used by bacteria to abrogate or mitigate host immune response. Given the persistence of serious infectious disease, this is a worthwhile endeavor. Within limitations, these expectations are fulfilled.
Audience:The target audience is the medical scientist (including basic investigators) concerned with molecular mechanisms of virulence and disease. The editors have assembled a highly qualified set of authors
Features:Most concerns regarding bacterial infection relate to identifying which antibiotic will be effective for therapeutic intervention. Generally, less attention is focused on the fact that the infection is well established before overt symptoms occur that can lead to such treatment, and that substantial interchange between the invading organism and the host immune system has already occurred. This book focuses on the latter aspect. The initial chapters review mechanisms of host recognition of bacteria and is followed by two main sections that deal with humoral and cell mediated responses. In each of these latter parts, several different aspects are reviewed. These include the role of the complement system, elicited proteins that bind immunoglobulins and what is termed phase variation. This latter is analogous to the strategy employed by trypanosomes wherein a set of coat protein genes is available to provide a constantly changing exterior landscape thus obviating immune responses. In the final section, cellular responses are discussed -- thus, signaling networks, the role of superantigens and enterotoxins and quorum sensing are all discussed in terms of their effects on the host cellular response. In general, the discussions are thorough with a strong molecular emphasis. The bibliographies are sufficiently detailed to provide adequate primary material. There are, however, some caveats. The overall topic is hardly restricted to bacterial infections. Thus, strategies employed by parasites, in particular, may have deserved mention. In the discussion of bacterial capsules, no distinction is made between that of hemolytic streptococci (non-immunogenic hyaluronic acid) and those where a strong immune response can be expected and where the capsular material itself can serve as a protective immunogen (Streptococcus pneumoniae, for example). Overall, this book is recommended for those investigators concerned with aspects of bacterial infectious disease.
Assessment:This is a generally useful book. Investigators with a broad concern for infectious processes will find much of value but will miss comparable discussions of parasites and viruses. The book is timely and not especially duplicative.