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Unsolved mystery: How does C. canimorsus evade the immune system in the human body?
Camnocytophaga canimorsus, a bacterium native to the mouths of dogs and cats, is now causing increasing health problems around the world. As more data is collected, the scientific community is accelerating its exploration of this naughty pathogen, especially how it evades the immune system in the human body. This troubling question has led to a deeper understanding of the characteristics of C. canimorsus and its pathogenic mechanisms.
C. canimorsus generally has low pathogenicity in healthy people but can cause severe disease development in individuals with underlying health problems.
History
C. canimorsus was first discovered in 1976, when researchers isolated this unrecognized Gram-negative bacterium from a patient who presented with meningitis and sepsis. The patient suffered two consecutive dog bites before the onset of symptoms, revealing the association between C. canimorsus and dog bites. Subsequent research gradually revealed the characteristics and impact of this bacterium.
Vaccine epidemiology
Tens of millions of people are affected by dog bites each year around the world, with C. canimorsus infections reported in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and South Africa. About 2% of the U.S. population is bitten by a dog, which provides a platform for the bacteria to spread. The risk of infection with C. canimorsus increases significantly, especially among middle-aged and elderly people, and the risk increases with the frequency of contact with animals.
Immune escape mechanisms
Researchers have observed that C. canimorsus can multiply in J774.1 macrophages of mice, suggesting that it can effectively evade the host's immune response. Macrophages attempt to phagocytose the pathogen, but C. canimorsus is not internalized and instead secretes cytotoxins, leading to macrophage degradation and a significant decrease in cytokine activity.
In macrophages infected with C. canimorsus, the macrophages were unable to activate the TLR4 signaling pathway, which prevented the immune system from mounting an adequate inflammatory response.
How to treat and prevent
For the treatment of C. canimorsus, prompt wound cleaning and early administration of antibiotics are key to preventing the spread of infection. Although most C. canimorsus infections respond to antibiotic treatment, education, wound care, and symptom awareness will be critical to reducing the impact of this pathogen.
Thinking about the future
As the exploration of the characteristics and pathogenic mechanisms of C. canimorsus deepens, the escape mechanism of this bacterium in the human body remains an unsolved mystery. Based on current research, the scientific community's understanding is far from comprehensive, and how to effectively prevent such infections remains a major challenge in current medicine and public health. Faced with such naughty pathogens, how should we enhance our awareness of prevention and strengthen related research?
