Variable adherence to normal human urinary-tract epithelial cells of Escherichia coli strains associated with various forms of urinary-tract infection.

The ability to become attached to normal epithelial cells from the urinary tract was much greater in Escherichia coli bacteria isolated from the urine of patients with acute symptomatic pyelonephritis or cystitis than in those isolated from the urine of patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria. Attachment of the bacteria could be prevented by incubation in urine containing antibodies against the strain tested. The ability to attach to uroepithelial cells might be a virulence factor for E. coli strains which cause symptomatic urinary-tract infection.