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Chronic and acute infection of the gall bladder by Salmonella Typhi: understanding the carrier state

Abstract

Despite major treatment and prevention efforts, millions of new typhoid infections occur worldwide each year. For a subset of infected individuals, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhi colonizes the gall bladder and remains there long after symptoms subside, serving as a reservoir for the further spread of the disease. In this Progress article, we explore recent advances in our understanding of the mechanisms by which Salmonella spp. — predominantly S. Typhi — colonize and persist in the human gall bladder.

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Figure 1: Salmonella spp. acute infection of the gall bladder.
Figure 2: Model of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhi biofilm formation on cholesterol gallstones.

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James E. Meiring, Farhana Khanam, … Melita A. Gordon

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a grant from the US National Institutes of Health (AI066708).

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Gonzalez-Escobedo, G., Marshall, J. & Gunn, J. Chronic and acute infection of the gall bladder by Salmonella Typhi: understanding the carrier state. Nat Rev Microbiol 9, 9–14 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro2490

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