BORDETELLA PATHOGENESIS

Numerous studies have been undertaken, the last fifteen years, in orde r to characterize and study the role of factors involved in Bordetella pathogenesis. These studies have been carried out using molecular bio logy and cellular biology techniques and a murine respiratory model. I t has been shown that : i) many factors are necessary for Bordetella s pecies to initiate infection, to colonize the host respiratory tract a nd to multiply : adhesins (filamentous hemagglutinin, pertactin and ag glutinogens) and toxins (pertussis toxin, tracheal cytotoxin and adeny late cyclase-hemolysin); ii) Bordetella species, which have been consi dered as extracellular bacteria, could in fact, persist inside host ce lls; iii) the expression of Bordetella virulence factors could vary du ring infection, allowing the bacteria to escape the host immune respon se.