University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Bacteria use different kinds of virulence factors that contribute to each step of pathogenesis.

Bacterial Virulence Factors

An adhesin is a protein or glycoprotein found on the surface of a pathogen that attaches to receptors on the host cell. There are multiple virulence factors that aid in adhesion: 
- Protein F
- Adhesin P1
- Type IV pili
- Type 1 fimbriae
- N-methylphenylalanine pili

Bacterial Virulence Factors for Adhesion

A pathogen’s specific virulence factors determine the degree of tissue damage that occurs. Pathogens can produce exoenzymes or toxins, to damage tissue and colonize as they spread deeper into the body.

Bacterial Virulence Factors for Invasion

Evading the immune system is also important to invasiveness. Bacteria use a variety of virulence factors to evade phagocytosis by cells of the immune system.
- capsule 
- coagulase
- antigenic variation

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