Adhesive specificities of Staphylococcus aureus, some Enterococcus species, Candida albicans, and elementary bodies of Chlamydia trachomatis are being examined. These have been screened for binding to glycoproteins and glycolipids of known structure and to glycoconjugates isolated from target tissues to which the pathogens adhere. Where possible, inhibitors of each binding specificity will be identified using the solid phase assays and then tested using in vitro cytoadherence assays and in vivo infection assays to determine the role of each in cytoadherence and initiation of infection.
