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How do Yersinia pestis bacteria weaken the immune response?
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Yersinia pestis bacteria weaken the host's immune response by producing specific proteins that interfere with the body's natural defense mechanisms. These proteins function in two primary ways:1
- Disrupting Inflammation: They disrupt the normal inflammatory response, which is a critical component of the body's attempt to contain and eliminate an infection.1
- Preventing Phagocytosis: They prevent the bacteria from being digested by macrophages, which are specialized cells that typically engulf and destroy invading pathogens.1
By effectively neutralizing these immune defenses, the bacteria are able to survive and multiply within the lymph nodes, leading to tissue destruction and the potential for the infection to spread through the lymphatic system and into the bloodstream.1