The Leeuwenhoek Lecture, 1991. The influence of the host on microbes that cause disease

Abstract

Microbial pathogenicity or virulence, the capacity to cause disease, depends on microbial gene products that promote infection and penetration of mucous membranes, multiplication in the tissues, interference with host defence and sickness. Formation of these virulence determinants by microbes is influenced by the environment of the host, which differs from that in laboratory cultures. Studies of microorganisms grown in vivo, and of the host's influence on the production of virulence determinants, are increasing. In most studies, however, the complex conditions in vivo are not dissected to show the influence of particular factors. In future we should define specific host factors that are responsible for producing identified virulence determinants. There are three studies which point the way. Iron limitation in vivo causes production of bacterial siderophores, outer membrane receptors and some toxins. Erythritol, a growth stimulant for brucellae, causes intense placentitis and hence abortion in cattle, sheep and pigs. Cytidine 5'-monophospho-N-acetyl neuraminic acid (CMP-NANA) sialylates a conserved component of gonococcal lipopolysaccharide (LPS), thereby rendering gonococci in patients resistant to complement-mediated killing by serum. Although the lecture uses bacteria for examples, the principle applies equally to studies of viral and fungal pathogenicity.