Abstract
Four methicillin-sensitive (MSSA) and 4 methicillin-resistant (MRSA) strains of Staphylococcus aureus were collected and isolated at the Laboratory of Bacteriology of the Provincial General Reference Hospital of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The microbial adhesion to solvents (MATS) test showed that the MRSA strains had a less hydrophobic membrane than the MSSA strains. Using the Biofilm Ring Test? (BFRT?) to investigate on the adhesion of these bacterial strains to smooth surfaces, we observed that the MSSA strains adhered more rapidly than the MRSA strains. The biomass of the produced biofilm measured by the Crystal violet staining method (CVSM) was more important with MSSA than with MRSA strains. Ethylene glycol-bis(2-aminoethylether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) inhibited the adhesion and the formation of a biofilm by MRSA strains; this inhibition was reversed by calcium, magnesium and manganese. The MRSA strains adhered less to silicon tubing and the adhesion was inhibited by EGTA in 2 of the 4 MRSA strains and none of the MSSA strains. In conclusion, the MSSA and MRSA strains adhered on an abiotic surface and formed a biofilm at distinct rates and with different sensitivities to ions. The results also confirm the utility as well as the limits of the BFRT? to study the adhesion of bacteria on a surface.
Highlights
Staphylococcus aureus is a human pathogen that causes both chronic and nosocomial infections; many of which are mediated by their ability to adhere to medical devices and to form biofilms
The 2 solvents extracted comparable percentages of the 4 methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) strains showing that the cell walls of these bacteria had no electron-accepting propensity; ethyl acetate extracted the 4 MRSA strains 3-times less than hexane and it could be concluded that their walls were rather acidic
From these results it could be concluded that the results obtained with the BFRT® and the Crystal violet staining method (CVSM) were consistent but that the BFRT® was more efficient for the study of short-term effects
Summary
Staphylococcus aureus is a human pathogen that causes both chronic and nosocomial infections; many of which are mediated by their ability to adhere to medical devices and to form biofilms. This bacteria is responsible of a large variety of diseases, including endocarditis, osteomyelitis, and foreign body infections [1]. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 65% of human bacterial infections are associated to a biofilm [3]. Biofilm-associated bacteria are generally resistant to antibiotics [5], and to host immune responses [6]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
