. Consequently diarrhoea is the lesser of the two evils.
Ironically, not all strains of Salmonella possess SopE. Only certain strains that have incorporated the genetic code for SopE into their own genome from a bacteria-specific virus, a bacteriophage, and can express it, can produce this substance. However, SopE is only one of 12 candidate chemical messengers that Salmonellae use to “crack” their host’s cell. That’s why Hardt’s researchers are now also studying how the other virulence factors operate.
Müller AJ et al. The S. Typhimurium Effector SopE Induces Caspase-1 Activation in Stromal Cells to Initiate Gut Inflammation. Cell Host&Microbe. 2009 Aug 20; 6:(2) 125-36.