title: Effects on adhesiveness and hydrophobicity of sub-inhibitory concentrations of netilmicin.
abstract: The effect of sub-inhibitory concentrations (SICs) of netilmicin on bacterial hydrophobicity and adhesiveness to conjunctival cells was investigated. One strain each of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas spp., Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis was investigated for its susceptibility to netilmicin, its adherence to conjunctival cells and to the effect of hydrocarbon hexadecane before and after treatment with SIC of netilmicin. All of the bacteria tested were susceptible to netilmicin except for Pseudomonas spp. which showed intermediate resistance. Netilmicin-treated Pseudomonas strains exhibited a lower level of hydrophobicity towards n-hexadecane compared with non-treated strains, while netilmicin-treated S. epidermidis and S. aureus showed a slight increase of hydrophobicity. Adherence of the two Pseudomonas strains to conjunctival cells was significantly reduced after growth in the presence of netilmicin, while the adherence of the two staphylococci was only slightly reduced.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Microbiologiche e Scienze Ginecologiche, Universita di Catania, sez di Microbiologia, Via Androne 81, Catania 95124, Italy. furneri@mbox.unict.it
authors.forename: Pio Maria
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Furneri
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garozzo
authors.forename: Maria Pia
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Musumarra
authors.forename: Anna Claudia
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Scuderi
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bonfiglio
mesh_terms: D000473:Alkanes / Q000494:pharmacology; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects*; D002460:Cell Line; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000382:microbiology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009428:Netilmicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity
chemical_list: D000473:Alkanes; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D009428:Netilmicin; C007932:n-hexadecane