[Proteus adhesion to intestinal epithelium]

The adhesive properties of Proteus strains isolated from different sources have been studied under conditions similar to the real interaction of microorganisms with the epithelial cells of intestine. A comparison of the adhesive properties of Proteus and of colon Bacillus has shown that the value of the strong adhesion to the mucosa of Proteus isolated under enterocolitis at the same bulk concentrations of the infectious suspension is 2-3 order less than that of E. coli. The adhesion of Proteus to the surface of epithelial cells begins at bulk concentrations exceeding those for the colon Bacillus by 3-4 orders. Besides, a toxic effect of number of freshly isolated Proteus strains on the epithelial cells of intestine mucosa is observed. Strains isolated from patients with diarrhea and from environment differed from each other in the studied criteria. A conclusion is drawn that at the initial stage of the interaction with the intestine mucosa the Proteus strains differ considerably from the indigenous strain of the colon Bacillus in the ability to colonize the epithelial surface.