Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae: living together in a biofilm. Issue 2 (10th September 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tikhomirova, Alexandra; Kidd, Stephen P.
• Is Part Of: Pathogens and disease. Volume 69:Issue 2(2013:Nov.)
• Page Start: 114
• Page End: 126
• Publication Date: 2013-09-10
• Subjects: multispecies biofilms -- nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae -- otitis media -- Streptococcus pneumoniae -- inter‐species interactions -- bacterial pathogenesis; Medical microbiology -- Periodicals; Pathogenic microorganisms -- Periodicals; Communicable diseases -- Microbiology -- Periodicals; Communicable diseases -- Pathogenesis -- Periodicals; Host-parasite relationships -- Periodicals; Systems biology -- Periodicals; 616.904105
• DOI: 10.1111/2049-632X.12073
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2049-632X

Abstract

Abstract: Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae are both commensals of the human nasopharynx with an ability to migrate to other niches within the human body to cause various diseases of the upper respiratory tract such as pneumonia, otitis media and bronchitis. They have long been detected together in a multispecies biofilm in infected tissue. However, an understanding of their interplay is a recent field of study, and while over recent years, there has been research that has identified many specific elements important in these biofilms, to date, it remains questionable whether the relationship between H. influenzae and S. pneumoniae is competitive or cooperative. Additionally, the factors that govern the nature of the interspecies interaction are still undefined. This review aims to collate the information that has emerged on the cocolonization and co‐infection by S. pneumoniae and nontypeable H. influenzae (NTHi) and their formation of a multispecies biofilm. Abstract : Bacterial opportunists including Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae frequently reside in the nasopharynx of healthy children from where it can migrate to cause severe infections involving lungs middle ear and the brain. It is now clear that biofilms promote bacterial persistence during many of these infections. This MiniReview nicely summarizes a large amount of work on Haemophilus and pneumococcus in biofilms alone and in co‐culture.