Characterisation of biofilm formation by a Streptococcus suis meningitis isolate

Abstract

Biofilm formation by a strain of Streptococcus suis serotype 2 isolated from a case of meningitis in pigs was characterised. Using a polystyrene microtitre plate assay, S. suis 95-8242 produced a dense biofilm when glucose, fructose or sucrose was used as the carbohydrate source, whereas no biofilm formed in the presence of lactose. Polysaccharide production by the biofilm-forming strain was demonstrated by the Congo red agar assay. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that bacterial cells were surrounded by a thick layer of polycationic ferritin-labelled material. S. suis 95-8242 was more resistant to both penicillin G and ampicillin in biofilms than in planktonic cultures on the basis of minimal inhibitory and minimal bactericidal concentrations.