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The role of adherence in determining the site of infection by Corynebacterium diphtheriae

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

Sarah J. Deacock ,
Kathleen A. Steward  and
H. R. Carne
Sarah J. Deacock
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology, Cambridge University, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP
Kathleen A. Steward
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology, Cambridge University, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP
H. R. Carne
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology, Cambridge University, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP
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Twenty-nine strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae isolated from throats and 29 strains from skin lesions, the latter mainly from communities of low socio-economic status in tropics and cold climates, have been examined for the property of adherence to human buccal epithelial cells. All throat strains showed adherence. In contrast, strains from skin lesions were predominantly poor adherers. These results indicate that strains of C. diptheriae from throats must now be added to the important group of pathogens which possess the property of adherence to surface epithelial cells of mucous membranes, thus providing an essential first step in the process of colonizing their hosts. The possible role of this phenomenon of adherence to bucco-pharyngeal epithelial cells in the evolution of the host—parasite relationship of C. diphtheriae is discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Hygiene , Volume 90 , Issue 3 , June 1983 , pp. 415 - 424
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1983

References

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