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Review
. 2014 Jan 1;5(1):57-65.
doi: 10.4161/viru.26514. Epub 2013 Sep 25.

The complex pathogenesis of bacteremia: from antimicrobial clearance mechanisms to the genetic background of the host

Eirini Christaki  1 , Evangelos J Giamarellos-Bourboulis  2
Affiliations
Review

The complex pathogenesis of bacteremia: from antimicrobial clearance mechanisms to the genetic background of the host

Eirini Christaki et al. Virulence. .

Abstract

Bacteremia develops when bacteria manage to escape the host immune mechanisms or when the otherwise well-orchestrated immune response fails to control bacterial spread due to inherent or acquired immune defects that are associated with susceptibility to infection. The pathogenesis of bacteremia has some characteristic features that are influenced by the genetic signature of the host. In this review, the host defense mechanisms that help prevent bacteremia will be described and the populations who are at risk because of congenital or acquired deficiencies in such mechanisms will be defined. A special mention will be made to novel insights regarding host immune defense against the most commonly isolated organisms from patients with community-acquired bloodstream infections.

Keywords: bacteremia; bloodstream infection; host defense; single nucleotide polymorphism.

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Figures

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Figure 1. The complex interactions between the invading microorganism and the host defense mechanism ending in bacteremia. These interactions present some unique features in pathogenesis and they are under the influence of the genetic make-up of the host.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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