The ability of Providencia alcalifaciens strains, isolated from patients with diarrhoeal disease, to translocate from the gastrointestinal tract and their resistance to serum complement lytic activity were investigated and compared with previously characterized differential invasive capabilities in HeLa cells. Translocation ability to several extraintestinal sites and resistance to lysis by human serum complement were observed in both highly invasive and non-invasive strains. These characteristics have not been previously described in P. alcalifaciens and their potential role in causing disseminated infections should therefore be considered.Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, BR-04023062 São Paulo, SP, BrazilFed Univ Para, Dept Patol, BR-66059 Belem, Para, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Tecn Operatoria, BR-04023062 São Paulo, SP, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, BR-04023062 São Paulo, SP, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Tecn Operatoria, BR-04023062 São Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc
