Aggregatibacteractinomycetemcomitans : Gram-Negative Bacterial Pathogen

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, a member of the Gram-negative taxonomic familyPasteurellaceae, has attracted considerable attention as a potentially important pathogen in specificforms of periodontal disease and has earned a reputation as a member of the HACEK groupof bacteria associated with some cases of infective endocarditis. The bacterium has acquiredan impressive virulence-related armamentarium, including two well-characterized cytotoxins,exoenzymes, adhesins, and signaling molecules that promote its colonization and the perturbationof the tissues, structural cells, and inflammatory cells of the human oral cavity. This Special Issuefocuses on the properties and activities of A. actinomycetemcomitans that promote its function as aninfectious agent, that is, its ability to target specific host populations and define its interactions withspecific mucosal tissues and cells. The objective is to present a complete picture of the participationof this bacterium in disease by presenting both in vitro and in vivo experimental and clinical studies.A comprehensive view of the contribution of this bacterium to the mechanisms of infection anddisease should also provide a basis for the development of new control strategies that move beyondthe classical antibioticsThis is a reprint of articles from the Special Issue published online in the open access journal Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817)