This very interesting study compares outer membrane protein sequences in a number of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup.A disease and carriage isolates from a defined region or subsaharan Africa between 2002 and 2008. It concludes that there is a remarkable antigenic stability in this population and that herd immunity is not a strong driving force for antigenic diversification. The study is well conceived and carried out, the results are clearly presented and the conclusions pertinent.This is important and useful information

This is an excellent, paradigm-shifting in Clostridium difficile toxin-mediated pathogenesis. The data are excellent.

Truncated SpA, not anchored to the cell wall, can still be found during carriage or infection, underlining the fact that there is no single virulence factor in Staphylococcus aureus that is required for generating a specific type of infection

This timely review on the significance of microbial biofilms and gastrointestinal disease will stimulate research in this field.

This is an interesting study where Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms were grown on CF airway epithelial cells to study the synergistic effect of Fosfomycin/Fobramycin formulas (FTI) for Inhalation treatment of infection on biofilm formation. FTI holds promise for treatment of chronic airway infection and in this work it is clear that there is a significant effect on biofilm formation under in vivo like conditions investigated.

This MiniReview concisely summarizes the evidence that dendritic cells play an important role in modulating T cell responses to Helicobacter pylori infection, primarily through the development of regulatory T (Treg) cells, which may limit the gastritis associated with this infection.

This study investigates the response of human blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to a cord-forming strain of Mycobacterium abscessus. A fibrous chromatin-like meshwork containing DNA and histones is produced by the PBMCs,perhaps as a defense mechanism against other invaders. Overall very nicely done and with well-illustrated results.

This work uses state-of-the-art proteomics methodology (LC-MS/MS) to examine the growth of the important pathogen,Candida albicans, as it adapts to fetal serum. They identify several proteins that may be candidate virulence factors.

This is a very interesting and relevant study that demonstrates the ability of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a polyphenol extract from green tea, to protect against Porphyromonas gingivalis-induced atherosclerosis. The experimental approach is straightforward and the results provide evidence for the mechanism accounting for the protective effect.

This paper provides a comprehensive database of penicillin-binding protein mutations associated with b-lactam resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae.