Bacterial virulence and pathogenesis: an overview.

Bacterial virulence is the result of many different attributes, which often contribute to different steps in the complicated series of events we recognize as infection. With the use of selected examples, an overview of the stages of infection common to many bacterial infections (attachment, proliferation, tissue damage, invasion, and dissemination) is presented. Expression of virulence depends on a large number of host variables, including nonspecific and specific immune defenses, and interruption of the process of infection is undoubtedly possible at many different steps. Future developments will depend on better definition of the biochemistry, genetics, and immunology of the bacterial factors involved in pathogenesis.