Mechanisms of bacterial resistance and response to bile

Enteric bacteria are resistant to the bactericidal effects of intestinal bile, but these resistance mechanisms are not: completely understood. It is becoming increasingly apparent that enteric bacteria have evolved to utilize bile as a signal for the temporal production of virulence factors and other adaptive mechanisms. A greater understanding of the resistance and response of bacteria to bile may assist the development of novel therapeutic, prevention, and diagnostic strategies to treat enteric and extraintestinal infections. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.