An international research project, launched by the Higher Council of Scientific Research (CSIC) has revealed new data on the structure of pneumonia to better understand the mechanisms of infection of this bacterium. The pneumococcus is a major human pathogens responsible for diseases such as otitis, sinusitis, meningitis, or pneumonia, responsible for the deaths of three and a half million people per year worldwide. The researchers studied a protein having the size of the pneumococcus, the CBPF, whose function and structure were unknown until now. The study revealed that this protein could control the infection, since its presence prevents the activity of self-lysine LytC which indirectly cause the

resurgence of the infection. Bacteria deploy chemical warfare between them, because they will compete and occupy the same environment where they develop. Some of these bacteria, including pneumococci, even removed them during the infection. To "kill" his brothers, pneumococci are using self-lysines, proteins that localize in the outer layer and cause what we call the cellular damage, ie the tear in the wall and the membrane cell, and therefore the death of the bacteria. This "fratricide" increases the virulence of the infection with agents that release inflammatory pneumococci destroyed. Therefore, if we regulate its activity, the virulence of the virus can also be controlled. This study opens a new avenue of research that will enable us to develop in the future of new medicines and therapies. The research of these complex relationships that unfold during pathogen infection, was conducted by the Center for Biological Research in Madrid, scientists from the Institute of Medical Chemistry and several French and American. In addition, pneumococcal disease is the only humane and responsible for a large number of infections and invasive process. It mostly affects children, the elderly and people with immune problems. It causes, among other diseases, sinusitis, otitis, meningitis and bactericidal . He has a great capacity for resistance to antibiotics between 40 and 50% of the strains found in Spain, are to betalactam (the type of antibiotics used most and which includes, among others, derived from peniciline.) There are even strains - whose numbers are growing all over the world that resist several kinds of antibiotics. The pneumococcus is also the cause of pneumonia, infectious disease with mortality rates higher globally, three and a half million deaths per year. Only among those over 65 years, one million cases per year are reported, of which 40% must be hospitalized. Although moderated by the vaccine - which is administered during childhood and protects against the seven most common strains of the pathogen-mortality of pneumonia among children under five continue to be high, especially in Africa and Asia. [1] Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is a species of bacteria of the genus Streptococcus. It is an important pathogen in humans involved, particularly in pneumonia. [2] autolysin / autolysis: The autolysis is the destruction of a body, organ or a cell by its own secretions. The products are responsible autolysin. [3] Bacteremia: The bacteremia is defined by the presence of a pathogen in the circulating blood, authenticated by positive blood cultures. This presence may be transient or chronic and may be accompanied by clinical signs or not. Source:Â http://www.plataformasinc.es