title: Adhesion of lactobacilli to urinary catheters and diapers: effect of surface properties.
abstract: Thirteen strains of lactobacilli were tested for their ability to adhere to commercial devices used in the urinary tract. Although it appeared that the most hydrophilic organisms adhered in highest numbers, there was no significant correlation between water contact angle and adhesiveness to catheters. Five organisms tested were found to be highly adherent to Huggies commercial diapers. Loss in hydrophobicity upon serial culture of Lactobacillus fermentum B-54 was not due to a proteinaceous S layer, although protein involvement per se cannot be ruled out. It was evident that, not only can members of the normal female urogenital flora adhere to commonly used commercial prostheses, but their ability to attach is related to hydrophilic as well as hydrophobic surface components.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Bruce
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: van der Mei
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Busscher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007223:Infant; D007224:Infant Care; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D014546:Urinary Catheterization; D014566:Urogenital System / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials