Infectious disease

Cell culture and zebrafish studies suggest inhibiting cholesterol uptake in host cells could help treat Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi infection. In HeLa cells challenged with S. typhi, a tool compound that lowers cholesterol content in host cell membranes decreased bacterial infectivity compared with vehicle. In a zebrafish embryo model of S. typhi infection, the cholesterol absorption inhibitor Zetia ezetimibe increased survival and bacterial clearance. Next steps include testing inhibitors of cholesterol accumulation in additional animal models of S. typhi infection...