title: Biofilm detection and the clinical significance of Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates.
abstract: The ability of Staphylococcus epidermidis to produce biofilm was compared in 147 clinically significant strains repeatedly isolated from blood cultures of patients with bloodstream infection and in 147 strains isolated from skin. The strains were examined for the presence of ica operone, for the ability to form biofilm by Christensen's test-tube method and for the production of slime by Congo Red agar method. The ica operone was found in 92 (62.6 %) blood isolates and in 44 (29.9) isolates from skin. Christensen's test-tube method was positive in 79 (53.7) and 33 (22.4), Congo Red agar method in 64 (43.5) and 31 (21.1) of blood and skin isolates, respectively. All three methods were more frequently positive in clinically significant isolates from blood than in strains isolated from skin. The detection of ica operone and the Christensen's test-tube method showed better correlation with the clinical significance than the Congo Red agar method.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 656 91 Brno, Czechia. filip.ruzicka@fnusa.cz
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Růzicka
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Holá
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Votava
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tejkalová
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Horvát
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heroldová
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Woznicová
mesh_terms: D016470:Bacteremia / Q000382:microbiology; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D009876:Operon; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology