SALMONELLA-TYPHI IRON UPTAKE MUTANTS ARE ATTENUATED IN MICE

Iron starvation interferes drastically with the multiplication and vir ulence of Salmonella typhi mutants defective in enterochelin synthesis or enterochelin transport. Growth of these mutants is inhibited in th e presence of human sera and unsaturated transferrin and is restored b y fully saturated transferrin. The mutants exhibit decreased ability t o grow in HeLa cell monolayers and are attenuated in mice. These findi ngs are consistent with the S. typhi enterochelin system playing a rol e in the pathogenesis of typhoid fever.