Anthrax Lethal and Edema Toxins in Anthrax Pathogenesis

Overview

Journal Trends Microbiol

Date 2014 Apr 2

PMID 24684968

Citations 119

Authors

Shihui Liu

Mahtab Moayeri

Stephen H Leppla

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The pathophysiological effects resulting from many bacterial diseases are caused by exotoxins released by the bacteria. Bacillus anthracis, a spore-forming bacterium, is such a pathogen, causing anthrax through a combination of bacterial infection and toxemia. B. anthracis causes natural infection in humans and animals and has been a top bioterrorism concern since the 2001 anthrax attacks in the USA. The exotoxins secreted by B. anthracis use capillary morphogenesis protein 2 (CMG2) as the major toxin receptor and play essential roles in pathogenesis during the entire course of the disease. This review focuses on the activities of anthrax toxins and their roles in initial and late stages of anthrax infection.

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