title: Strong biofilm production, antibiotic multi-resistance and high gelE expression in epidemic clones of Enterococcus faecalis from orthopaedic implant infections.
abstract: Enterococcus faecalis is an opportunistic pathogen, which today represents one of the leading aetiologic agents of nosocomial infections and, increasingly, of implant infections. Here, in a collection of 43 E. faecalis isolated from implant orthopaedic infections, virulence-related phenotypes (biofilm and gelatinase production) and genotypes (gelE and esp) were studied to characterize epidemic clones identified and grouped by ribotyping. The presence of the esp gene and a marked and steady biofilm formation ability appeared to be the features associated with the clonal spreading, as well as a conspicuous gelatinase production, whereas the simple presence of gelE appeared non-specific of the epidemic clones. Antibiotic multi-resistance and strong biofilm production abilities together with a high phenotypic expression of gelatinase are an important equipment of E. faecalis to colonize peri-prosthesis tissues and to spread out as causative agents of implant orthopaedic infections.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit on Implant Infections, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Via di Barbiano 1/10, Bologna, Italy. carlarenata.arciola@ior.it
authors.forename: Carla Renata
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Arciola
authors.forename: Lucilla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baldassarri
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Campoccia
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Creti
authors.forename: Valter
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pirini
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huebner
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Montanaro
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018441:Biofilms; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D018093:Gelatinases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018093:Gelatinases