Journal
MICROBIOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY
Volume 55, Issue 11, Pages 751-759Publisher
WILEY-BLACKWELL
DOI: 10.1111/j.1348-0421.2011.00383.x
Keywords
alveolar macrophages; influenza A virus; secondary bacterial infection
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Funding
- Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Korea [P-AD14-2009-11-01]
- Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries (MAFRA), Republic of Korea [P-AD14-2009-11-01] Funding Source: Korea Institute of Science & Technology Information (KISTI), National Science & Technology Information Service (NTIS)
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The influenza A virus is one of the main causes of respiratory infection. Although influenza virus infection alone can result in pneumonia, secondary bacterial infection combined with the virus is the major cause of morbidity and mortality. Interestingly, while influenza infection increases susceptibility to some bacteria, including Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), and Haemophilus influenzae, other bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Klebsiella pneumoniae are not associated with influenza infection. The reason for this discrepancy is not known. In this study, it was found that prior influenza virus infection inhibits murine alveolar macrophage phagocytosis of S. aureus but not of E. coli. Here, the mechanism for this inhibition is elucidated: prior influenza virus infection strongly increases interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) production. Furthermore, it was shown that IFN-gamma differentially affects alveolar macrophage phagocytosis of S. aureus and E. coli. The findings of the present study explain how influenza virus infection increases susceptibility to some bacteria, such as S. aureus, but not others, and provides evidence that IFN-gamma might be a promising target for protecting the human population from secondary bacterial infection by influenza.
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