Abstract

Bacterial enteric infections are often associated with diarrhoea or vomiting, which are clinical presentations commonly referred to as gastroenteritis. However, some enteric pathogens, including typhoidal Salmonella serotypes, Brucella species and enteropathogenic Yersinia species are associated with a clinical syndrome that is characterized by abdominal pain and/or fever and is distinct from acute gastroenteritis. Recent insights into molecular mechanisms of the host–pathogen interaction show that these enteric pathogens share important characteristics that explain why the initial host responses associated with these agents more closely resemble host responses to viral or parasitic infections. Host responses contribute to the clinical presentation of disease and improved understanding of these responses in the laboratory is beginning to bridge the gap between bench and bedside.

Author affiliations

1. Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine,
2. Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, University of California at Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, 9561 6 California, USA.

Correspondence to: Andreas J. Bäumler¹ Email: ajbaumler@ucdavis.edu

Published online 28 October 2008

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