Immunosenescence: How Aging Increases Susceptibility to Bacterial Infections and Virulence Factors

The process of aging leads to a progressive decline in the immune system function, known as immunosenescence, which compromises both innate and adaptive responses. This includes impairments in phagocytosis and decreased production, activation, and function of T- and B-lymphocytes, among other effect...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Microorganisms (Basel) 2024-10, Vol.12 (10), p.2052
Main Authors: Theodorakis, Nikolaos, Feretzakis, Georgios, Hitas, Christos, Kreouzi, Magdalini, Kalantzi, Sofia, Spyridaki, Aikaterini, Kollia, Zoi, Verykios, Vassilios S, Nikolaou, Maria
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age
Aging
Antibiotics
Antibodies
Antigens
Bacteria
Bacterial diseases
Bacterial infections
Cell activation
Customization
Cytokines
Dendritic cells
Disease
Genotype & phenotype
Geriatrics
Health aspects
Hospitals
Immune response
Immune system
Immunology
Immunosenescence
inflammaging
Inflammation
Learning algorithms
Lymphocytes
Lymphocytes B
Machine learning
Memory
Mortality
Multidrug resistance
Nosocomial infections
Older people
Pathogenesis
Pathogens
Phagocytosis
Physiological aspects
Review
Risk factors
Senescence
Staphylococcus infections
Streptococcus infections
Vaccines
Virulence
Virulence (Microbiology)
Virulence factors
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Summary:The process of aging leads to a progressive decline in the immune system function, known as immunosenescence, which compromises both innate and adaptive responses. This includes impairments in phagocytosis and decreased production, activation, and function of T- and B-lymphocytes, among other effects. Bacteria exploit immunosenescence by using various virulence factors to evade the host's defenses, leading to severe and often life-threatening infections. This manuscript explores the complex relationship between immunosenescence and bacterial virulence, focusing on the underlying mechanisms that increase vulnerability to bacterial infections in the elderly. Additionally, it discusses how machine learning methods can provide accurate modeling of interactions between the weakened immune system and bacterial virulence mechanisms, guiding the development of personalized interventions. The development of vaccines, novel antibiotics, and antivirulence therapies for multidrug-resistant bacteria, as well as the investigation of potential immune-boosting therapies, are promising strategies in this field. Future research should focus on how machine learning approaches can be integrated with immunological, microbiological, and clinical data to develop personalized interventions that improve outcomes for bacterial infections in the growing elderly population.
ISSN:2076-2607
2076-2607
DOI:10.3390/microorganisms12102052