Infection is the invasion and multiplication of microorganism which is not normally present within the body. These organisms include bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Infectious disease is the result of an infection.
Infection and Complement System
For humans, the immune system is used to fight infections. Furthermore, the immune system consists of two parts, the innate immune system, and the adaptive immune system. Deficiency of the innate immune system is susceptible to infections. The complement system is playing an important role in the innate immune system. Its deficiency, especially the deficiency of the classical pathway leads to the autoimmune diseases and predisposes individuals to recurrent respiratory infections and infections caused by encapsulated organism such as Streptococcus pneumonia, Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenza.
Individuals with alcoholic cirrhosis and low levels of complement component C3, C4, and CH50 are reported to have an increased risk of infections. Complement deficiencies may result from increased protein loss associated with nephritic syndrome or protein-losing enteropathies. Increased consumption of complement often accompanies immune complex disease, vasculitis, or development of autoantibodies against complement proteins.
Fig. 1 The picture of Clostridium botulinum.1
Symptom
The symptoms of a bacterial infection include coughing, sneezing, fever, inflammation, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, localized redness, heat, swelling, and pain. One of the hallmarks of a bacterial infection is local pain – the pain that is in a specific part of the body.
Shape
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Spherical: With an average size of 0.5-1.0 um in diameter, these are usually the simplest to treat and are known as cocci.
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Rod: An average size is 0.5-1.0 µm wide by 1.0-4.0 µm long.
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Spiral: Coiled bacteria are known as spirilla. They are called spirochetes when the coil is particularly tight.
Type
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Bacterial Skin Infections
Gram-positive strains of Staphylococcus and Streptococcus often lead to skin infections, especially when the deficiency of the innate immune system occurs. Bacteria skin infection can be classified into several subtypes:
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Cellulitis: It is characterized by a red and swollen area that feels hot and tender to touch. The redness and swelling spread rapidly.
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Folliculitis: It is a common skin condition in which hair follicles become inflamed. The signs and symptoms include clusters of small red bumps or white-headed pimples around hair follicles; Itchy, burning skin; a large swollen bump or mass.
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Impetigo: it causes oozing sores, often in infants and children. But people of any age may also catch impetigo when they are contacting someone who is already infected.
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Foodborne Bacterial Infections
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Campylobacter jejuni: Commonly found in animal feces, it is a helical-shaped Gram-negative bacterium, which is often accompanied by cramps and fever.
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Clostridium botulinum: It is a Gram-positive, rod-shaped, anaerobic, spore-forming bacterium, producing botulinum which is a potentially life-threatening neurotoxin.
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Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157: H7 is a serotype of the Escherichia coli, causing disease through consumption of contaminated and raw food. The sign and symptoms include nausea, vomiting, fever, and abdominal cramps.
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Listeria monocytogenes: It is a facultative anaerobic bacterium that causes the infection listeriosis. The symptom includes muscle aches, fever, and diarrhea. Individuals with weakened immune systems are most at risk of catching this infection.
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Salmonella: It is a genus of rod-shaped, Gram-negative bacteria, with cell diameters between approximately 0.7 and 1.5 µm. Salmonella triggers fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps which typically last for about a week.
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Vibrio: it is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria with a curved-rod shape. It causes diarrhea when ingested.
The immune system is playing an essential role when the body is invaded by the pathogens. The immunodeficiency may lead to infectious diseases. For the components of the complement system, C2, C5, C6, C7, C8 (C8A, C8B) are associated with recurrent bacterial infections. Unraveling the mechanism of how individuals capture infectious disease is important, especially for patients with immunodeficiency.
Creative Biolabs has established advanced Complement Therapeutics Platform including antibody engineering platform, protease inhibitor platform, and drug discovery platform, and is equipped to offer a full range of biotherapeutics development services regarding drug discovery and validation for recurrent infection. Please contact us for detailed information.
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Reference
1. From Wikipedia: Content Providers: CDC - This media comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Public Health Image Library (PHIL), with identification number #2107. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Clostridium_botulinum_01.png.
Questions & Answer
A: The complement system can be targeted in several ways, such as by inhibiting complement proteins or modulating their activity. Specific inhibitors, like eculizumab, can block the activation of the complement cascade at different stages, preventing excessive complement activation and recurrent infections.
A: Experimental evaluation often involves in vitro and in vivo studies. Researchers may use cell culture models to assess the impact of complement inhibitors on infection outcomes, and animal models to evaluate their efficacy and safety in living organisms.
A: Yes, our researchers create experimental models that simulate recurrent infections, often through repeated exposure to infectious agents or the use of animal models with naturally recurrent infections, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae.
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