What host factors might be involved in determining whether a microbe becomes a pathogen in one individual and a commensal in another?

The Power of Bacteria

What sort of host factors might be expected to influence the evolution of a pathogen? Explain briefly how each of the techniques described in this chapter could be used to probe the role of a newly-discovered host factor (factor X) in the infection process.

Following up on your answer to the question above, explain how the results of each technique covered in this chapter could DISPROVE the involvement of host factor X in response to infection by a particular bacterial pathogen.

What obstacles do researchers face in the search for host factors that contribute to virulence?

What host factors might be involved in determining whether a microbe becomes a pathogen in one individual and a commensal in another? How might these host factors be identified through some of the screening assays talked about in this chapter.