Cell surface properties of Acinetobacter baumannii

Abstract

Cell surface properties of 78 strains of Acinetobacter baumannii of different origin (lower respiratory tract, wound, blood and environment) were investigated. The bacterial adhesion to collagen, fibronectin, fibrinogen and vitronectin was detected by particle agglutination assays. Salt aggregation tests were used to determine the cell surface hydrophobicity of isolated A. baumannii strains. We found that A. baumannii strains originating from patients with wound infection and bacteraemia showed significantly lower aggregative properties compared to respiratory and environmental strains. Electron microscopic investigations revealed more fimbriated bacterial cells among the highly aggregative A. baumannii strains. This study demonstrates that the investigated A. baumannii strains can be divided into two different groups according to their cell surface properties and source of isolation, whereas the majority of strains, from the lower respiratory tract and the hospital environment expressed strong adhesive properties.

Evaluation of adherence, hemagglutination, and presence of genes codifying for virulence factors of Acinetobacter baumannii causing urinary tract infection

“…Fimbrial structures and their participation in adhesive properties involving fibronectin were investigated by means of agglutination assays (Köljelg et al 1996). Sepulveda et al (1998) verified that adherence to bladder tissue is a natural attribute of strains belonging to different A. baumannii biotypes, a comparable trait found in a uropathogenic E. coli strain.…”

Interaction with the host: the role of fibronectin and extracellular matrix proteins in the adhesion of Gram-negative bacteria

“…Taking into account the use of ECM proteins as docking sites, it can be speculated that, in tissue damage circumstances, the exposure of ECM proteins might favor adherence and biofilm formation, complicating A. baumannii infection treatment [40]. A. baumannii has shown affinity to collagen and Fn [96], but only recently, the virulence factors and mechanism of the disease have been described in more detail [97].…”

Preliminary evaluation of adherence on abiotic and cellular surfaces of Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated from catheter tips

“…Although adhesion ability is determined by specific factors, such as adhesins, and non-specific factors, such as hydrophobicity and cellular surface electrical discharge, it varies among strains [12] and may be affected by antimicrobial agents [13].…”