Bacterial Virulence – BV

Topics

• Discovery of virulence determinants
• In vivo dynamics and functional characterization of virulence determinants, including genetic, biochemical, and structural approaches
• Effects of virulence factors on host cells and organisms
• Virulence regulation as it relates to host cells and organisms
• Studies of inhibitors of virulence determinants
• Characterization of microbial toxins
• Structural studies that inform host-pathogen relationships

Shared Interests and Overlaps

There are shared interests with Prokaryotic Cell and Molecular Biology (PCMB). Applications that focus on the basic genetics, biochemistry, and fundamental biology of bacterial pathogens may be reviewed in PCMB. Applications that emphasize pathogenesis studies associated with bacterial infections may be reviewed in BV.

There are shared interests with Bacterial-Host Interactions (BHI). Applications that focus on the host in the host-pathogen relationship may be reviewed by BHI, whereas applications that focus on the bacteria may be reviewed in BV. Applications that use animal models of infection to identify and characterize bacterial virulence determinants may be appropriate for BV, whereas applications that use such models to investigate host responses or the host factors that contribute to the pathogenesis may be more appropriate for BHI.

There are shared interests in bacterial infections of the central nervous system with Clinical Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumors (CNBT).  Applications that emphasize molecular mechanistic models of bacterial infection or pathogenesis and immunity emphasizing the bacterial perspective are reviewed in BV. Applications that emphasize CNS infectious diseases due to bacterial infection and bacterial-host immune or inflammatory interactions relevant to CNS diseases or disorders are reviewed in CNBT.

There are shared interests with Interspecies Microbial Interactions and Infections (IMII) for studies that investigate the interactions of bacteria with other bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Applications emphasizing the interspecies microbial interactions or within microbial communities or polymicrobial research may be reviewed by IMII. Applications focused more specifically on the bacterial contribution virulence and pathogenicity may be reviewed in BV. Applications that focus on bacterial-phage interactions may be reviewed in PCMB.

There are shared interests in bacterial virulence with Transmission of Vector-borne and Zoonotic diseases (TVZ). Applications that emphasize the zoonotic or vector-associated life cycles or transmission of vector-borne bacteria may be reviewed in TVZ. Applications that are focused on the general mechanisms by which vector-borne bacteria cause disease in humans may be reviewed by BV.

There are shared interests with Immunity and Host Defense (IHD) in the investigations of the immunologic process of bacterial infections. Applications focused on the innate and acquired immune mechanisms associated with the host response to bacterial infections and those utilizing bacteria as tools to stimulate an immune response may be reviewed in IHD. Applications involving, but not exclusively focused on the immune responses in the context of pathogenesis associated with specific bacteria, may be reviewed in BV or BHI.

There are shared interests in bacterial pathogen physiology with Anti-Infective Resistance and Targets (AIRT). Applications that focus on identifying novel drug targets, drug resistance mechanisms, or on evolution of drug resistance may be reviewed in AIRT. Applications that focus on the pathogenesis of bacteria and virulence may be reviewed in BV.

There are shared interests in reviewing studies of effects of molecular probes or prospective therapeutic modifiers of prokaryotic or eukaryotic pathogens with Chemical Biology & Probes (CBP). Applications that emphasize development of novel synthetic or medicinal chemistry approaches may be reviewed in CBP. Applications that use known or modestly modified drugs as probes may be reviewed in BV.

There are shared interests in pathogen physiology with Drug Discovery and Molecular Pharmacology A (DMPA). Applications that emphasize developing new antimicrobial drugs may be reviewed in DMPA. Applications that emphasize understanding pathogenesis mechanisms, or that use known drugs as probes may be reviewed in BV.

There are shared interests in with Etiology, Diagnostic, Intervention and Treatment of Infectious Diseases (EDIT) in the general area of bacterial pathogens. Applications that focus on population-based studies examining human-bacterial interactions, epidemiology, therapeutics, prophylactics, or diagnostics may be reviewed in EDIT. Applications that focus on mechanistic in vitro studies and animal models of bacterial diseases may be reviewed in PCMB, BV, or BHI.

There are shared interests with Adaptive Immunity (AI). Applications associated with infectious disease virulence and pathological outcomes may be reviewed in BV, whereas applications with a greater focus on the adaptive immune response itself may be reviewed in AI.

There are shared interests with Innate Immunity B (IIB). Applications with a greater focus on innate immune signaling may be reviewed in IIB. Applications associated with infectious disease virulence and pathological outcomes may be reviewed in BV.

There are shared interests with Innate Immunity A (IIDA (81)). Applications with a greater focus on the innate immune cell processing of the infectious agent antigen may be reviewed in IIDA (81), whereas applications associated with infectious disease virulence and pathological outcomes may be reviewed in BV.

There are shared interests with Lung Immunology and Infection (LII). Applications addressing bacterial-host immune or inflammatory interactions in the lung may be reviewed in LII. Applications focused on molecular mechanistic models of bacterial infection or pathogenesis and immunity emphasizing the bacterial perspective may be reviewed in BV.

There are shared interests with Digestive System Host Defense, Microbial Interactions and Immune and Inflammatory Diseases (DHMI), Clinical Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumors (CNBT), and Hepatobiliary Pathophysiology (HBPP). Applications addressing bacterial-host immune or inflammatory interactions relevant to the diseases or disorders of the gastrointestinal tract (DHMI), nervous system (CNBT), and hepatobiliary system (HBPP) due to bacterial infection may be reviewed in the respective study section noted. Applications focused on molecular mechanistic models of bacterial infection or pathogenesis and immunity emphasizing the bacterial perspective may be reviewed in BV or BHI.