title: Attachment and biofilm forming capabilities of Staphylococcus epidermidis strains isolated from preterm infants.
abstract: Staphylococcus epidermidis, a human commensal, is an important opportunistic, biofilm-forming pathogen and the main cause of late onset sepsis in preterm infants, worldwide. In this study we describe the characteristics of S. epidermidis strains causing late onset (>72 h) bloodstream infection in preterm infants and skin isolates from healthy newborns. Attachment and biofilm formation capability were analyzed in microtiter plates and with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Clonal relationship among strains was studied with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed, as well as the detection of biofilm-associated genes and of the invasiveness marker IS256 with polymerase chain reaction. Blood and skin isolates had similar attachment and biofilm-forming capabilities and biofilm formation was not related to the presence of specific genes. Filament-like membrane structures were seen by TEM early in the attachment close to the device surface, both in blood and skin strains. Nine of the ten blood isolates contained the IS256 and were also resistant to methicillin and gentamicin in contrast to skin strains. S. epidermidis strains causing bloodstream infection in preterm infants exhibit higher antibiotic resistance and are provided with an invasive genetic equipment compared to skin commensal strains. Adhesion capability to a device surface seems to involve bacterial membrane filaments.
authors.affiliation: Department Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, eva.hell@ki.se.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hell
authors.forename: Christian G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Giske
authors.forename: Kjell
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hultenby
authors.forename: Kristina Gemzell
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Danielsson
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marchini
mesh_terms: D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology*; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D006801:Humans; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D058889:Molecular Typing; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018805:Sepsis / Q000382:microbiology*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D037521:Virulence Factors
references.citation: Pediatr Res. 2009 Aug;66(2):174-8
references.pmid: 19390494
references.citation: Lancet. 1999 Nov 27;354(9193):1875-6
references.pmid: 10584728
references.citation: Infect Immun. 1998 Jun;66(6):2666-73
references.pmid: 9596732
references.citation: J Infect Dis. 2008 Jul 15;198(2):258-61
references.pmid: 18491976
references.citation: J Clin Microbiol. 2002 Feb;40(2):382-8
references.pmid: 11825946
references.citation: Pediatr Res. 2005 Sep;58(3):613-6
references.pmid: 16148082
references.citation: J Hosp Infect. 2005 Dec;61(4):342-8
references.pmid: 16242209
references.citation: Clin Microbiol Infect. 2003 Feb;9(2):114-9
references.pmid: 12588331
references.citation: Lancet Infect Dis. 2004 May;4(5):278-86
references.pmid: 15120344
references.citation: Microbiology (Reading). 2008 Oct;154(Pt 10):3224-3231
references.pmid: 18832327
references.citation: Clin Microbiol Infect. 2007 Nov;13(11):1100-11
references.pmid: 17850346
references.citation: J Clin Microbiol. 1995 Sep;33(9):2233-9
references.pmid: 7494007
references.citation: Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2006 May;25(5):283-90
references.pmid: 16598472
references.citation: APMIS. 2007 Aug;115(8):891-9
references.pmid: 17696944
references.citation: Microbiology (Reading). 2005 May;151(Pt 5):1453-1464
references.pmid: 15870455
references.citation: Am J Infect Control. 2005 Aug;33(6):341-7
references.pmid: 16061140
references.citation: J Bacteriol. 2007 Apr;189(7):2793-804
references.pmid: 17277069
references.citation: Microbes Infect. 2002 Apr;4(4):481-9
references.pmid: 11932199
references.citation: J Hosp Infect. 2009 Feb;71(2):112-6
references.pmid: 19013672
references.citation: Clin Infect Dis. 2007 Mar 15;44(6):820-6
references.pmid: 17304454
references.citation: Infect Immun. 2004 Feb;72(2):1210-5
references.pmid: 14742578
references.citation: BMC Genomics. 2006 May 10;7:112
references.pmid: 16684363
references.citation: J Bacteriol. 1996 Jan;178(1):175-83
references.pmid: 8550413
references.citation: Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2010 Jun;23(3):208-16
references.pmid: 20179594
references.citation: Infect Immun. 2002 Dec;70(12):6805-10
references.pmid: 12438356
references.citation: J Bacteriol. 2010 Aug;192(16):4153-63
references.pmid: 20543074
references.citation: J Pediatr. 1989 Jun;114(6):1029-34
references.pmid: 2723895
references.citation: J Med Microbiol. 2012 Aug;61(Pt 8):1136-1145
references.pmid: 22516129