SRV REGULATION OF STREPTOCOCCAL BIOFILM DISPERSAL AND ITS IMPACT ON VIRULENCE

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is a Gram-positive human pathogen that commonly causes mild skin infections. However, GAS also causes severe infections including necrotizing fasciitis. The mechanism for triggering the switch between mild and severe disease has yet to be discovered. Several groups have shown that regulation of protease production may play a role in the transition from localized to systemic infection. GAS has evolved the ability to colonize a variety of distinct host sites, and one possible mechanism for colonization is through the formation of a biofilm. A biofilm is a structured, sessile microbial community encased in an extracellular matrix and may provide protection from the immune response and antibiotic therapy. We and others have shown that GAS is able to form biofilms <italic>in vitro<italic> and <italic>in vivo<italic>, however, the regulation and role of these structures during an infection remains unclear.

Grantor dc:publisher

Wake Forest University

Year dc:date.issued

2011

Author dc:creator

• Connolly, Kristie Lee

• Biofilms

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/36443

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:wakespace.lib.wfu.edu:10339/36443