Impaired upper respiratory tract barrier function during postnatal development predisposes to invasive pneumococcal disease.

ABSTRACT: Infants are highly susceptible to invasive respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. To elucidate the age-dependent mechanism(s) that drive bacterial spread from the mucosa, we developed an infant mouse model using the prevalent pediatric respiratory pathogen, Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn). Despite similar upper respiratory tract (URT) colonization levels, the survival rate of Spn-infected infant mice was significantly decreased compared to adults and corresponded with Spn dissemination to the bloodstream. An increased rate of pneumococcal bacteremia in early life beyond the newborn period was attributed to increased bacterial translocation across the URT barrier. Bacterial dissemination in infant mice was independent of URT monocyte or neutrophil infiltration, phagocyte-derived ROS or

SUBMITTER: Lokken-Toyli KL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11078396 | biostudies-literature | 2024 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature