The Undetectable Infection 101 - Bacterial Pathogenesis
I will leave the why they become pathogenic until last, so let us look at what they do to our mucous membranes.
We will look at the really nasty one first, that being enterococcus faecalis. The most-cited virulence factors are aggregation substance, surface adhesins, sex pheromones, lipoteichoic acid, extracellular superoxide production, the lytic enzymes gelatinase and hyaluronidase, and the toxin cytolysin.
Gelatinase allows the bacteria to dissolve the epithelial layer of the mucous membranes, giving it access to the cells below, hyaluronidase completely lyses the cells in which the enterococcus enters. This completely dissolves the cells and allows the bacteria to move between cells, it basically allows the bacteria to tunnel between the cells.
So here I present the first revelation, that being anemia. If you are colonized with pathogenic enterococcus it is highly likely you are anemic. Cytolysin is a neurotoxin that completely destroys hemoglobin which results in an oversupply of free iron on the mucous membrane surface. In the gut, this can result in an e-coli overgrowth, and can also leave a metallic taste in your mouth when these bugs are most active. The super oxide production creates an environment that supports the overgrowth of other faculative anaerobes such as streptococcus and lactobacillus and lowering the levels of anaerobes which are required for a healthy microbione. Enterococcus are also prolific lactic acid producers.
Streptococcus species are either alpha, beta or gamma hemolytic. Viridans streptococcus is either alpha or gamma hemolytic which means they either partially affect red blood cells or they don't affect red blood cells. Beta hemolysis occurs with group A, B and C, which are the recognized pathogenic strep and like pathogenic enterococcus damage/kill cells and macrophages and kill hemoglobin cells. Streptolysin O and Streptolysin S are the toxins associated with Beta Hemolysis. Pathogenic strains also contribute to superoxide production which changes the aerobe:anaerobe ratio.
The undetectable infection therefore contains species of viridans streptococcus which are only partially or alpha hemolytic. The streptolysin toxins produced such as pneumolysin, Mitolysin etc. only damage cells which results in a non pyogenic (non pus forming) inflammation. As with enterococcus, strep species endotoxin is lipoteichoic acid, which is their spiky skins. This is the second part of the inflammation process and as the bacteria dies, their skins can enter the bloodstream resulting in inflammation in other areas. Streptococcus are also prolific lactic acid producers.
When pathogenic strains are in abundance they create an environment which is toxic to other beneficial strains. The blood agar looks the same but in fact the microbione has changed. But to the lab culture there is no way to identify this. No pathogens are present, so normal flora is returned.
Streptococcus sanguinis and parasanguinis are 2 species that consistently show up in stool samples of people I know who are diagnosed with ME/Fibromyalgia. These species are the cause of dental plaque and are known cause of endocarditis, meningitis and bacteremia. According to the literature these are rarely isolated away from teeth. The streptolysin from these and the mitis group strains is very similar to streptococcus pneumonia, which causes respiratory tract infection.
Therefore if you are one of those people who suffer from chronic sore throat or swollen neck glands etc. it is highly likely that it is pathogenic strains from the streptococcus sanguinis and/or mitis group ... that is where I would start..
This is the undetectable infection ....