Restricted growth of ent(-) and tonB mutants of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi is human Mono Mac 6 monocytic cells

Monocytes and macrophages are an important host defense in humans infected with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi. Bacterial ability to survive in the se cells is therefore a crucial virulence characteristic of this pathogen. In this study, we demonstrate that growth of a Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi enterochelin synthesis mutant and a tonB mutant in the human monocyte cell line Mono Mac 6 is restricted compared to that of the parental wild-t ype Ty2 strain. These results suggest that enterochelin- and TonB-mediated iron uptake plays a role in S, enterica serovar Typhi pathogenesis, and als o suggest that mutations in iron uptake may attenuate S. enterica serovar T yphi strains for human beings. (C) 2001 Federation of European Microbiologi cal Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.