Virus-Induced Changes of the Respiratory Tract Environment Promote Secondary Infections With Streptococcus pneumoniae

Vicky Sender; Karina Hentrich; Birgitta Henriques-Normark

doi:10.3389/fcimb.2021.643326

Virus-Induced Changes of the Respiratory Tract Environment Promote Secondary Infections With Streptococcus pneumoniae

Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2021 Mar 22:11:643326. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.643326. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Vicky Sender¹, Karina Hentrich¹, Birgitta Henriques-Normark^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
² Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden.

Abstract

Secondary bacterial infections enhance the disease burden of influenza infections substantially. Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) plays a major role in the synergism between bacterial and viral pathogens, which is based on complex interactions between the pathogen and the host immune response. Here, we discuss mechanisms that drive the pathogenesis of a secondary pneumococcal infection after an influenza infection with a focus on how pneumococci senses and adapts to the influenza-modified environment. We briefly summarize what is known regarding secondary bacterial infection in relation to COVID-19 and highlight the need to improve our current strategies to prevent and treat viral bacterial coinfections.

Keywords: COVID-19; Streptococcus pneumoniae; coinfection; influenza virus; influenza-pneumococcal coinfection; pneumococci; respiratory tract infections.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

COVID-19 / complications*
Coinfection
Host-Pathogen Interactions / immunology
Humans
Influenza, Human* / complications
Pneumococcal Infections / pathology*
Respiratory System / pathology*
Respiratory Tract Infections / microbiology*
Respiratory Tract Infections / virology*
Streptococcus pneumoniae