Nage des bactéries monoflagellées "Pseudomonas aeruginosa"

Monoflagellated bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, swimming, observed using a fluorescence microscope. An analysis of the trajectories shows that bacterial swimming changes near surfaces and depending on the type of surface: abiotic or cellular. The bacterial pathogens responsible for nosocomial diseases often enter the human body via medical instruments such as catheters, probes or intubation equipment. Bacterial swimming along these instruments is an important factor in the penetration of these bacteria into the body. It also constitutes the first approach to the colonisation of tissue surfaces such as mucosae and the vascular endothelium. Studies on the physical parameters of bacterial swimming inform research on the movement of bacteria across large surfaces and the way in which they interact with the environment with a view to local colonisation.