| Literature DB >> 8423230 |
F A Plummer1, H Chubb, J N Simonsen, M Bosire, L Slaney, I Maclean, J O Ndinya-Achola, P Waiyaki, R C Brunham.
Abstract
The severe adverse effects of gonococcal infection on human fertility suggests that Neisseria gonorrhoeae would exert powerful selection for the development of a protective immune response in humans. N. gonorrhoeae is an obligate human pathogen and must persist in humans to survive. Since it is an ecologically successful organism, it must have evolved strategies to evade any human immune response it elicits. In a longitudinal study among 243 women working as prostitutes and experiencing frequent gonococcal infection, younger women, women with HIV infection, and women with antibody to the gonococcal outer membrane protein 3 (Rmp) were at increased risk of infection (adjusted odds ratio 3.4, CI95% 1.1-10.4, P < 0.05). Rmp is highly conserved in N. gonorrhoeae and the blocking of mucosal defences may be one of its functions. As similar proteins occur in many gram negative mucosal pathogens, the enhancing effect of such proteins may be a general strategy whereby bacteria evade human immune responses.Entities:
Keywords: Africa; Africa South Of The Sahara; Age Factors; Antibodies; Behavior; Biology; Comparative Studies; Contraception; Contraceptive Methods; Demographic Factors; Developing Countries; Diseases; Eastern Africa; English Speaking Africa; Family Planning; Gonorrhea; Hiv Infections--women; Immunity; Immunologic Factors; Immunological Effects; Infections; Kenya; Longitudinal Studies; Membrane Proteins; Oral Contraceptives; Physiology; Population; Population Characteristics; Prostitutes--women; Reproductive Tract Infections; Research Methodology; Research Report; Risk Factors; Sex Behavior; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Studies; Viral Diseases
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Year: 1993 PMID： 8423230 PMCID： PMC330031 DOI： 10.1172/JCI116190
Source DB: PubMed Journal: J Clin Invest ISSN： 0021-9738 Impact factor: 14.808