The study, which is the first to reveal the structure of the FimH protein that bacteria use to dig into human cells in the urethra, showed that hooks grip tightly to sugar molecules on human cells and tighten their grip to withstand the flow of urine.
The researchers suggest pursuing anti-adhesive drugs that target the FimH protein could produce effective methods of dislodging UTI bacteria, and potentially reduce the burden of antibiotic prescriptions for one of the most common hospital-acquired infections.
More articles on infection control:
10 most interesting clinical research findings to know this week
CDC’s Vital Signs report puts antibiotic-resistant HAIs in the crossfire
Bacterial bloodstream infection linked to 18 deaths in Wisconsin
