Because slime-forming microorganisms are the major causative agents of graft infections, we aimed to investigate bacterial
adherence in slime-forming and nonslime-forming
Staphylococcus aureus and to determine the role of neuraminidase (NANase) on adherence to gelatin-impregnated polyester fiber graft fabric. An
in vitro model was developed to quantitatively measure bacterial adherence to the surface of the graft. The grafts were divided
into two groups – those colonized with slime-forming
S. aureus and those colonized with nonslime-forming
S. aureus. The grafts were put into sterile tubes and human plasma was instilled and incubated at 37°C to perform fibrin deposition
on the grafts. After 48 h of incubation, grafts were drained and inoculated with slime-forming or nonslime-forming
S. aureus in triptic soy broth in the presence or absence of NANase. Following 36 h of incubation at 36°C, grafts were vortexed and
cultured to perform a colony count. Bacterial counts were expressed as total colony-forming units per square centimeter of
graft. Slime-forming
S. aureus had greater affinity with the graft compared with nonslime-forming
S. aureus (
P < 0.05). The adherence of slime-forming
S. aureus was impaired by NANase treatment (
P < 0.001) but NANase treatment of nonslime-forming
S. aureus did not change the adherence to the graft (
P > 0.05). These results show that slime plays an important role in the pathogenesis of vascular graft infection. Adherence
of slime-forming
S. aureus can be decreased by NANase treatment. This may have implications for the development of neuraminidase-embedded vascular grafts
to diminish biomaterial-related infections.
相似文献