Bacterial adhesion

The ability of bacterial species to colonize and infect host organisms is critically dependent upon their capacity to adhere to the cellular surfaces of the host. In this regard, most bacteria express adhesive molecules that promote interaction with specific host-cell receptors or with soluble macromolecules. Adhesin-receptor interactions are essential not only for bacterial colonization of the host tissue but also for the activation and delivery of certain virulence factors that eventually lead to infection. This chapter reviews the current knowledge on bacterial adhesion, with particular emphasis on the fimbrial, nonfimbrial and polysaccharidic adhesins of gram-negative bacteria, and the recent advances in the field of antiadhesion therapy as a new strategy for treating or preventing bacterial infections.