Staphylococcus epidermidis adherence to human amniotic membrane and to human, rabbit, and cat conjunctiva.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate Staphylococcus epidermidis adherence to human amniotic membrane (HAM) and compare it with S epidermidis adherence to human, rabbit, and cat conjunctiva in vitro.


METHODS
Research laboratory, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois, USA.


METHODS
Commercially available HAM (N = 3) was used. Conjunctival specimens from humans, rabbits, and cats (n = 3 each) were processed similarly to HAM. The tissues were exposed to S epidermidis (3 x 10(8) colony-forming units per milliliter) for 0, 5, 30, and 90 minutes, rinsed in sterile saline, and processed for light, scanning (SEM), and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy. Scanning electron microscopy (x2000) was used to quantify adherent bacteria/mm(2) of tissue (SEM photographs = 144).


RESULTS
The following mean levels (+/- SD) of adherent S epidermidis/mm(2) were found at 0, 5, 30, and 90 minutes: HAM, 3833 +/- 1570, 9060 +/- 2512, 15,431 +/- 10,752, and 30,315 +/- 14,803, respectively; human conjunctiva, 1493 +/- 672, 7218 +/- 3179, 17,273 +/- 7168, and 19,861 +/- 9624, respectively; rabbit conjunctiva, 3385 +/- 5074, 14,386 +/- 14,569, 15,283 +/- 13,679, and 20,113 +/- 24,016, respectively; and cat conjunctiva, 4032 +/- 2240, 12,345 +/- 3413, 8512 +/- 4032, and 19,214 +/- 5584, respectively. No statistically significant differences were found at any time point (P>.16).


CONCLUSIONS
There was no statistically significant difference in the adherence of S epidermidis to HAM and to human, rabbit, and cat conjunctiva. Bacterial adherence to HAM may be clinically significant.
John
Thomas
T
Department of Department of Ophthalmology, Loyola University at Chicago, Maywood, Illinois 60153, USA. cornea999@aol.com
Allen
Sam
S
John
Andrea G
AG
Lai
Cathy I
CI
Carey
Roberta B
RB
D000650:Amnion / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D002415:Cats; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011817:Rabbits; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure