Bacteria tune-in and turn-on
Miguel Cámara (School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nottingham, UK) and colleagues review the ways bacteria "tune-in" to each other through a process termed quorum sensing. This cell-to-cell communication allows bacteria to coordinate a unified attack on the host through the production of virulence factors. Communication relies on the production and sensing of small signal molecules. Since the level of signal molecule is a reflection of the population size, bacteria can sense when a quorum of their companions has accumulated sufficient to attack the host. Disruption of quorum sensing might be used to control infection.
Other reviews:
athogenesis of infections due to coagulase-negative staphylococci Christof von Eiff and colleagues, Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Münster Hospital and Clinics, Münster, Germany
Q fever in children Helen C Maltezou and Didier Raoult, Faculté de Médecine, Université de la Méditerranée, Marseille, France
Testosterone therapy in HIV wasting syndrome Anthony Kong and Polly Edmonds, St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, UK
The Lancet Infectious Diseases