Patogeneza infecției pneumococice la copil

Abstract

Streptococcus pneumoniae remains one of the major pathogens for both children and adults, causing acute otitis, pneumonia and meningitis. The pneumococcal infection is strictly linked to the carriage and the virulence factors, as well as, to the host defense mechanisms. We review the most important virulence factors due to the polysaccharide capsule, the cell wall fragments, choline binding proteins, adhesion, phase variation, pathogenicity islands as well as the host defense mechanisms represented by the immune answer, complement system, cell response, iron and adaptative immunity. Streptococcus pneumoniae despite all the improvement in medical technology has a lot of unsolved questions.