Research Progress on Adaptive Survival Relationship Between Small Colony Variants and Bacteria

Small colony variants (SCVs) have been shown to be part of the regular growth cycle, which are highly dynamic or stable and can be selected during various harsh conditions. The features of SCVs include slow growth, colony morphology irregular and biochemical characteristics abnormal, making the separation and identification of SCVs into trouble. SCVs can cause chronic persistent infection, but not lead to strong immune response to host. Furthermore, SCVs are serious resistant to antibacterials normally. In this paper, we introduce the phenotype classification of SCVs, the relationship with the host's immune response and the effects of antibacterials on SCVs, which will provide theoretical support for further research of SCVs.