Inclusion bodies and pH lowering: as an effect of gold nanoparticles in Streptococcus pneumoniae

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a human pathogen whose principal virulence factor is its capsule. This structure allows the bacterium to evade the human immune system. Treatment of infections caused by this bacterium is based on antibiotics; however, the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains makes this task increasingly difficult. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate new therapies, such as those based on gold nanoparticles, for which...