%0 Journal Article %A Pichichero, M. E. %T Adherence of Haemophilus influenzae to human buccal and pharyngeal epithelial cells: relationship to pilation %D 1984 %J Journal of Medical Microbiology, %V 18 %N 1 %P 107-116 %@ 1473-5644 %R https://doi.org/10.1099/00222615-18-1-107 %I Microbiology Society, %X SUMMARY An improved understanding of the role of pili in adherence of Haemophilus influenzae type b to human epithelial cells (EC) would enhance knowledge of the pathogenesis of H. influenzae b infections. In this study a highly sensitive in-vitro assay allowed the quantitative assessment of H. influenzae b adherence to EC. The degree of adherence was influenced by incubation time, temperature, bacteria/EC ratio, EC type and the growth phase of the bacteria. Most serially subcultured (SC) capsular type-b strains originally isolated from cerebrospinal fluid, blood, nasopharynx or throat gave similar low degrees of adherence, as did representative single strains of capsular types a, c, d, e and f. SC non-capsulated H. influenzae strains adhered in significantly greater numbers than most SC capsulated strains (p< 0.001). One SC type-b strain isolated from a throat, with stable piliation, adhered in very high numbers despite capsulation. Filiated subpopulations selected from type-b capsulated strains adhered in greater numbers than did their parent strains. These data suggest that capsulation of H. influenzae is a deterrent to adherence of the bacteria to EC. However, the presence of pili may allow type-b organisms to overcome the effects of capsulation. %U https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-18-1-107