In addition to infecting humans, this bacteria also infects amoebae, single-celled eukaryotes; it is this unique ability to cross such a wide evolutionary gap that piqued the interest of Craig Roy, associate professor of microbial pathogenesis. “L.pneumophila learned to replicate in amoebae. It never coevolved with mammals, so its ability to replicate in humans suggested to us that it must be targeting highly conserved proteins,” Roy said.
Roy aims to understand how bacteria have become pathogenic. He chose L.pneumophila as a model organism, because, despite a major outbreak in 1976, the bacteria is not contagious. In fact, L. pneumophila can be found in any given sample from a freshwater body.
- it can cause severe pneumonia if inhaled in extremely
- although they are coupled with additional evasion techniques
- These pathogens use similar mechanisms
- with additional evasion techniques due to their coevolution with humans.
- in humans suggested to us that it must be targeting
As its name suggests, it can cause severe pneumonia if inhaled in extremely high numbers, although early treatment with antibiotics normally ends the infection. Roy believes that understanding its mechanism of evading the immune response may help combat other more debilitating pathogens, such as Myobacterium tuberculosisand Chlamydia. These pathogens use similar mechanisms, although they are coupled with additional evasion techniques due to their coevolution with humans.