A bacterial protective covering refers to structures like capsules, cell walls, and biofilms that shield bacteria from hostile environments. These coverings help prevent dehydration, resist immune defenses, and enhance survival on surfaces. Capsules, often made of polysaccharides, can increase virulence by blocking phagocytosis. Biofilms allow bacterial communities to adhere and persist, complicating treatment. Understanding protective coverings is important in medicine because they influence how infections respond to antibiotics. For example, drugs such as cephalexin capsules are designed to disrupt bacterial cell wall synthesis, weakening this protection and allowing the immune system to clear the infection more effectively in clinical practice.