Kempf F, La Ragione R, Chirullo B, Schouler C, Velge P. Super Shedding in Enteric Pathogens: A Review.
Microorganisms 2022;
10:2101. [PMID:
36363692 PMCID:
PMC9692634 DOI:
10.3390/microorganisms10112101]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Super shedding occurs when a small number of individuals from a given host population shed high levels of a pathogen. Beyond this general definition, various interpretations of the shedding patterns have been proposed to identify super shedders, leading to the description of the super shedding phenomenon in a wide range of pathogens, in particular enteric pathogens, which are of considerable interest. Several underlying mechanisms may explain this observation, including factors related to the environment, the gut microbiota, the pathogen itself (i.e., genetic polymorphism), and the host (including immune factors). Moreover, data suggest that the interplay of these parameters, in particular at the host-pathogen-gut microbiota interface, is of crucial importance for the determination of the super shedding phenotype in enteric pathogens. As a phenomenon playing an important role in the epidemics of enteric diseases, the evidence of super shedding has highlighted the need to develop various control strategies.
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