Biofilms and exopolysaccharides in Pseudomonas aeruginosa:pathogenesis,immune evasion,and lung–brain signaling during pneumonia

A recent study by Granton et al.in Cell investigates the role of exopolysaccharide(EPS)in Pseudomonas aeruginosa’s biofilm formation,immune evasion,and lung–brain signaling during pneumonia.1 This research significantly advances our understanding of how P.aeruginosa’s biofilms influence disease symptoms and suggests potential therapeutic strategies targeting the lung–brain axis to improve clinical outcomes in pneumonia patients.Long before the COVID-19 pandemic,social distancing from individuals suffering from severe respiratory tract infections has been an effective strategy to limit the transmission of airborne diseases.2 In their work,Granton et al.investigate the specific mechanisms by which the bacterium P.aeruginosa triggers symptoms of sickness in individuals suffering from pneumonia.Understanding these mechanisms is vital as they directly influence the spread of the disease.Bacterial strains causing less noticeable sickness may result in symptoms undetected by others,eventually enhancing the transmission of the pathogen.