Capsular Polysaccharides of Campylobacter Jejuni

Although Campylobacter jejuni is a major cause of diarrheal disease worldwide, this organism has proven particularly refractory to studies of molecular pathogenesis. Capsules are one of the few virulence factors described in this pathogen and recent evidence suggests that they may be protective antigens.<P> This proposal addresses the hypothesis that capsular polysaccharides play a key role in disease by C. jejuni and that structural changes in capsules modulate virulence. This would be consistent with epidemiological observations that certain capsule types are more prevalent in human disease.