Intracellular bacteria
Intracellular Bacteria
Intracellular bacteria (pronunciation: in-tra-sel-lu-lar bak-te-ri-a) are a type of bacteria that live and multiply inside the cells of a host organism.
Etymology
The term "intracellular" is derived from the Latin words "intra" meaning "within" and "cella" meaning "cell". The term "bacteria" is derived from the Greek word "bakterion" meaning "small rod".
Definition
Intracellular bacteria are a group of microorganisms that are capable of surviving and reproducing inside the cells of a host. They can infect a variety of cells including macrophages, epithelial cells, and endothelial cells.
Types
There are two types of intracellular bacteria:
- Obligate intracellular bacteria: These bacteria cannot survive outside the host cell. Examples include Chlamydia and Rickettsia.
- Facultative intracellular bacteria: These bacteria can survive both inside and outside the host cell. Examples include Salmonella and Listeria.
Diseases
Intracellular bacteria are responsible for a number of diseases in humans, including:
- Tuberculosis: Caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, an obligate intracellular bacterium.
- Typhoid fever: Caused by Salmonella Typhi, a facultative intracellular bacterium.
- Q fever: Caused by Coxiella burnetii, an obligate intracellular bacterium.
Treatment
Treatment of diseases caused by intracellular bacteria often involves the use of antibiotics that can penetrate the cell membrane and reach the bacteria inside the cell.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Intracellular bacteria
- Wikipedia's article - Intracellular bacteria
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