Slime-producing Staphylococcus epidermidis and S. aureus in acute bacterial conjunctivitis in soft contact lens wearers.

Abstract

In recent years, an increase in ocular pathologies related to soft contact lens has been observed. The most common infectious agents were Staphylococcus spp. Some strains produce an extracellular polysaccharidic slime that can cause severe infections. Polysaccharide synthesis is under genetic control and involves a specific intercellular adhesion (ica) locus, in particular, icaA and icaD genes. Conjunctival swabs from 97 patients with presumably bacterial bilateral conjunctivitis, wearers of soft contact lenses were examined. We determined the ability of staphylococci to produce slime, relating it to the presence of icaA and icaD genes. We also investigated the antibiotic susceptibility and Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns of the clinical isolates. We found that 74.1% of the S. epidermidis strains and 61.1% of the S. aureus strains isolated were slime producers and showed icaA and icaD genes. Both S. epidermidis and S. aureus slime-producing strains exhibited more surface hydrophobicity than non-producing slime strains. The PFGE patterns overlapped in S. epidermidis strains with high hydrophobicity. The similar PFGE patterns were not related to biofilm production. We found scarce matching among the Staphylococcus spp. studied, slime production, surface hydrophobicity and antibiotic susceptibility.

• Authors: Piergiorgio Catalanotti, Michele Lanza, Antonio Del Prete, Maria Lucido, Maria Rosaria Catania, Francesca Gallè, Daniela Boggia, Brunella Perfetto, Fabio Rossano
• Journal: The new microbiologica (New Microbiol) Vol. 28 Issue 4 Pg. 345-54 (Oct 2005) ISSN: 1121-7138 [Print] Italy
• PMID: 16386019 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• DNA, Bacterial
• Polysaccharides, Bacterial

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Anti-Bacterial Agents (pharmacology)
• Child
• Conjunctiva (microbiology)
• Conjunctivitis, Bacterial (microbiology)
• Contact Lenses, Hydrophilic (microbiology)
• DNA Fingerprinting
• DNA, Bacterial (genetics, metabolism)
• Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field
• Female
• Genes, Bacterial
• Humans
• Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
• Male
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests
• Middle Aged
• Molecular Epidemiology
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Polysaccharides, Bacterial (biosynthesis)
• Staphylococcal Infections (microbiology)
• Staphylococcus aureus (classification, genetics, isolation & purification, physiology)
• Staphylococcus epidermidis (classification, genetics, isolation & purification, physiology)