AbstractE. coli has got increasing importance as a causative agent of intestinal and extra‐intestinal diseases. In both these infections adhesion of the bacteria to mucous surface cells are initial events for coionization and development of infection. Adhesins are bacterial recognition proteins which specifically interact with carbohydrate moieties of glycoproteins or glycolipids on mammalian cells. The adhesiveness of bacteria is associated with filamentous surface appendages, designated as fimbriae or pili, as well as with non‐fimbrial components. Some recent data on the nomenclature, classification, disease association, receptor specificity, and topographic arrangement are presented. The correlation between E. coli O : K : H serovar and fimbrial antigens is demonstrated on the basis of E. coli isolated from patients with urinary tract infections. Hitherto unknown non‐fimbrial adhesins are briefly described.