Undercooked chicken, eggs sandwiches that have gone bad, contaminated water sources while on vacation and just plain poor sanitation and agricultural practices, all the factors and more can lead to salmonella transmission and infection. What has begged the question for some time is why this particular bacterium can cause so fierce an infection while the body’s immune system stands idly by reacting late in the game.

In research published June 4 in the online journal PloS One, researchers from the University of Rochester Medical Center say they’ve identified a molecular trick that may explain part of the bacteria’s fierceness.

• Dr. Jun Sun, PhD. Assistant Professor, University of Rochester Medical Center, Department of Medicine–Gastroenterology & Hepatology Division