title: [Formation of biofilms by agents of surgical soft tissue infections].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the ability of agents of surgical soft tissue infections to form biofilms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Material for the study was strains of microorganisms causing surgical soft tissue infection (phlegmon): 38 strains of Staphylococcus aureus, 16 strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci, 20 strains of enterococci, and 10 strains of pseudomonades. Ability of microorganisms to form biofilms was determined by photometric method. Microscopic evaluation included study of pathologic material from wounds as well as biofilms obtained in vitro.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All strains of pseudomonades and 80% of enterobacteria strains had marked ability to form biofilms. This characteristic was less prevalent and expressed in staphylococci. Direct relation between ability of microorganism to form biofilm and duration of illness (correlation coefficient - 0.68) was revealed. Biofilms in wounds were detected only 3 or more days after surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Agents of surgical soft tissue infections are able to form biofilms. This ability of microorganisms realizes not onlyin vitro but in wound too. Direct correlation between expression of ability to form biofilms and duration of illness allows to consider this characteristic as marker of switch of infectious process to chronic state.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Fadeev
authors.forename: N V
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Nemtseva
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery