Bacteria Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bacteria - Essay Example They help the bacteria to move away from the chemicals that can harm them. They play a great role in increasing bacteria pathogenicity because they enable them to move to the targeted locations and to survive. For any infection to occur, the pathogenic bacteria have contacted the target tissues. All organism whether plants or animal deal with flagellated bacteria. The main locations of most flagellated bacteria are the mucosal areas. Pathogenic bacteria have flagella that help them in attacking and colonizing the mucosa. The flagella attack the mucosa through the production of the virulence and adhesion factors (Wassenaar, 2009). Flagella increase pathogenicity through motility. The glycocalyx and mucus obstruct the pathogens. As a result, the pathogens have to counterbalance the upward movement of mucus in the bronchial epithelia and the intestines through motility in order to achieve colonization. Chemotaxis and motility enables the bacteria to aim the mucosal tissues. For instance, the motility of the bacteria like helicobacter pylori and the pseudomonas aeruginosa are responsible for the stomach and the lung infections. Additionally, the motility of the Vibrio cholerae enhances the infection of the intestinal mucosa. The infection of the rabbit appendix by the S. enterica also relies on their motility. Consequently, flagella plays a great role in enhancing pathogenicity since motility makes it easier for pathogens to interact with the hosts (Winn & Koneman, 2006). The structure also contributes to the increase in pathogenity though adhesion. Flagella enable bacteria to occupy a certain niche by acting as adhesin. For instance, the flagella of the Clostridium difficile stick to cecal mucus in mice through adhesion. Cystic fibrosis also occurs when the bacteria called the P. aeruginosa sticks at the airway lumen through adhesion. The bacteria cause infection when the flagella bind it to the mucin Muc 1 which is found in the airway mucus. In addition, the