Abstract

Bacteria of the genus Brucella are intracellular pathogens capable of surviving and replicating within macrophages of mammalian hosts and are resistance to killing in professional phagocytic cells which control survival and chronic infection. Recent advances have shed light on virulence factors and host functions involved at various stages of the Brucella intracellular life cycle. This review focuses on how this pathogen uses multiple strategies to circumvent macrophage defense mechanisms and generate an organelle permissive for replication. In addition, we discuss about host immune responses to Brucella and new strategies used to produce an efficient vaccine against Brucella infection. © 2014, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.