VIRULENCE FACTORS OF PATHOGENIC MICROORGANISMS AND THEIR ROLE IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF THE INFECTIOUS PROCESS

Abstract. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the main virulence factors of pathogenic microorganisms — adhesins, invasins, toxins, exopolysaccharide capsules and biofilm — and their role in the pathogenesis of the infectious process. The mechanisms of virulence, interaction with the macroorganism, and clinical significance are examined using various pathogens as examples. Conclusions are drawn on the basis of more than 25 scientific sources published from 1960 to the present.

Keywords. Virulence, pathogenicity, adhesin, invasin, toxin, biofilm, quorum sensing, immune evasion, LPS, capsule, pathogenicity islands, infectious process.