title: Staphylococcal adhesion to collagen in intra-articular sepsis.
abstract: Ultrastructural studies of the cartilaginous articular surfaces of human and rabbit joints have shown that cartilage is the target substratum for adhesion by Staphylococcus aureus, leading to intra-articular sepsis. Transmission and scanning electron microscope studies demonstrated bacteria in intimate contact with acellular cartilage matrix surfaces, particularly with collagen fibres. Certain strains of Staphylococcus aureus used in these experiments reveal a high binding capacity to collagen that is derived from a cartilage matrix. These studies indicate that the pathogenesis of intra-articular sepsis is based on the ability of certain strains of staphylococci to bind preferentially to a cartilage matrix.
authors.affiliation: Section of Orthopedic Surgery, Wake Forest University Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC 27103.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Voytek
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Gristina
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Barth
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Myrvik
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Switalski
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hook
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Speziale
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D002357:Cartilage Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011817:Rabbits; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000502:physiology