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Volume 52, Issue 7

Correlation between enterococcal biofilm formation and medical-device-related infection potential Free

Abstract

Hospital-acquired infections caused by enterococci have increased dramatically since the 1970s. Many nosocomial enterococcal bloodstream infections are associated with medical devices such as central venous catheters. The ability to form biofilm on medical devices is a potential virulence trait that may allow enterococci to cause infections in the expanding population of patients managed with such devices. In this study, the hypothesis that increased ability to form biofilm is associated with medical-device-related infection was tested. A microplate assay was employed to assess biofilm-forming characteristics of enterococci in 0.9 % (w/v) sodium chloride, an oligotrophic environment, and BHI, a nutrient-rich environment. Results were compared in isolates from different sources of infection. One hundred and nine enterococcal bloodstream isolates were assayed. Biofilm formation on microplates was demonstrated by all isolates and 16/38 (42 %) isolates. isolates produced significantly more biofilm than isolates in both media ( < 0.0001, Mann–Whitney U test). isolates from intravascular-catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) produced significantly more biofilm than non-CRBSI isolates ( < 0.0001), or isolates of uncertain clinical significance ( < 0.0001). Biofilm formed by isolates was not significantly affected by culture medium and did not differ between isolates from the different clinical categories. In conclusion, there was significantly more biofilm formed by isolates causing CRBSI compared with isolates from other types of infection or from isolates of uncertain clinical significance. The ability of isolates to form biofilm appears to be a marker of a virulence trait that enhances the ability of isolates to cause CRBSI.

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2003-07-01
2024-04-19
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Correlation between enterococcal biofilm formation in vitro and medical-device-related infection potential in vivo
J. Med. Microbiol. 52, 547 (2003); https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.05201-0
/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/jmm.0.05201-0
/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/jmm.0.05201-0
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