Bacterial motility is a colonization factor in experimental urinary tract infection.

In an experimental urinary tract infection of the mouse, colonization of the urinary bladder by isogenic strains of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium was found to depend on the motility of the bacteria. Strains were obtained by genetic recombination between a highly motile O-6,7 and a poorly motile O-4,5,12 strain. The O antigen did not interfere with the colonization, whereas motility did; flagellated and motile O-6,7 and O-4,5,12 bacteria colonized the bladder equally well.