Escherichia albertii and Hafnia alvei are candidate enteric pathogens with divergent effects on intercellular tight junctions.

Attaching-effacing lesion-inducing Escherichia albertii and the related, but non-attaching-effacing organism, Hafnia alvei, are both implicated as enteric pathogens in humans. However, effects of these bacteria on epithelial cells are not well-characterized. Related enteropathogens, including enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7, decrease epithelial barrier function by disrupting intercellular tight junctions in polarized epithelia.