Francisella tularensis Confronts the Complement System

Francisella tularensis Confronts the Complement System

Francisella tularensis has developed a number of effective evasion strategies to counteract host immune defenses, not the least of which is its ability to interact with the complement system to its own advantage. Following exposure of the bacterium to fresh human serum, complement is activated and C3b and iC3b can be found covalently attached to the bacterial surface. However, the lipopolysacch...

Francisella tularensis Complement-Dependent Uptake of Natural IgM Mediates

Francisella tularensis

The Subversion of the Immune System by Francisella Tularensis

Francisella tularensis is a highly virulent bacterial pathogen and the causative agent of tularemia. Perhaps the most impressive feature of this bacterium is its ability to cause lethal disease following inoculation of as few as 15 organisms. This remarkable virulence is, in part, attributed to the ability of this microorganism to evade, disrupt, and modulate host immune responses. The objectiv...

Francisella tularensis: an Overview

F rancisella tularensis was first isolated in 1912 from rodents suffering from a plague-like disease in Tulare County, Calif. Subsequently, investigators learned that this small, gram-negative bacterium infects many animal species and is associated with a wide range of diseases. In humans, the bacterium causes a serious, sometimes fatal disease, called tularemia, which is also known as rabbit f...