About the Authors

Eva Pericolini

Affiliation Microbiology Section, Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Science, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy

Alessia Alunno

Affiliation Rheumatology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy

Elena Gabrielli

Affiliation Microbiology Section, Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Science, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy

Elena Bartoloni

Affiliation Rheumatology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy

Elio Cenci

Affiliation Microbiology Section, Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Science, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy

Siu-Kei Chow

Affiliation Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America

Giovanni Bistoni

Affiliation Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, “La Sapienza” Medical School, University of Rome, Rome, Italy

Arturo Casadevall

Affiliation Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America

Roberto Gerli

gerlir@unipg.it

Affiliation Rheumatology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy

Anna Vecchiarelli

Affiliation Microbiology Section, Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Science, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy

Competing Interests

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: EP AV AA EG RG SKC AC. Performed the experiments: EP AA EG EC SKC AC. Analyzed the data: EP AA EG EC EB GB AV RG. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: SKC AC EC EB GB. Wrote the paper: EP AV AA EG RG.