The Wolbachia bacterial endosymbionts of filarial nematodes.

Abstract

This chapter discusses the symbiotic relationship between Wolbachia and filarial nematodes as indicated by antibiotic treatments and the combined analyses of the completed genomes of Wolbachia and its Brugia malayi host. Potential mechanisms that explain how Wolbachia activate innate and adaptive inflammatory responses associated with driving disease pathogenesis are described, as well as relevant molecular ligands and immunological pathways leading to disease pathogenesis.