#opportunistic pathogen

[superbloodbanker]

Haemophilus influenzae exists as a commensal bacteria species in many people, but is also an opportunistic pathogen, causing upper and lower respiratory infections.  H. influenzae often evades the immune system with its resistance to immunological antimicrobial peptides (AMPs).  researchers recently demonstrated that a transport protein in the bacterial membrane is responsible for this resistance, by binding to AMPs and transporting them into the cytoplasm, where they are then destroyed.

primary source: PLoS Pathogens

[fuckyeahmicrobiology]

This fluorescent antibody-stained photomicrograph depicted numbers of Gram-negative, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EEC), 0127:B8 strain, bacteria, which were found in a fecal smear.

What is Escherichia coli?

Escherichia coli, abbreviated as E. coli, are a large and diverse group of bacteria. Although most strains of E. coli are harmless, others can make you sick. Some kinds of E. coli can cause diarrhea, while others cause urinary tract infections, respiratory illness and pneumonia, and other illnesses. Still other kinds of E. coli are used as markers for water contamination—so you might hear about E. coli being found in drinking water, which are not themselves harmful, but indicate the water is contaminated.