In Vivo Glycocalyx Expression by Staphylococcus aureus Phage Type 52/52A/80 in S. aureus Osteomyelitis

Abstract

Osteomyelitic rat tibiae were examined by scanning electron microscopy for the extracellular glycocalyx of Staphylococcus aureus. S. aureus and fractured tibiae from normal rats were incubated together in vitro and examined similarly. Low magnification of endosteal Haversian portals from tibiae studied in vivo and in vitro disclosed adherent S. aureus exuding glycocalyx that buried the organism in dense, coccoid-studded biofilms. The biofilm became progressively more dense over time in vitro and was exuberant at day 70 in vivo. S. aureus incubated in vitro without tibiae disclosed no glycocalyx. Bone chips studied in vitro disclosed staphylococci more commonly near the endosteal Haversian portals than on the intervening endosteal surfaces (mean +/- SE, 280 +/- 75 vs. 12 +/- 3 per 2,500-micron 2 field; P less than .002 by Student's t test). Organisms within ostia were not counted, although they occluded 10%-40% of the ostium. Staphylococci were adherent to exposed woven material, perhaps collagen.

Arcanobacterium pyogenes: molecular pathogenesis of an animal opportunist

“…Formation of bacterial biofilms on implanted or in-dwelling medical devices is well described (Donlan and Costerton 2002). However, biofilms are now being implicated in the pathogenesis of persistent and/or chronic infections such as periodontitis, cystic fibrosis, endocarditis (Donlan and Costerton 2002), chronic otitis media (Ehrlich et al 2002), osteomyelitis (Buxton et al 1987) and bovine mastitis (Cucarella et al 2004).…”

Production of slime by coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) isolated from clinical and subclinical mastitis in cows

“…Adhesion is particularly important for the survival of staphylococci in cows' udder, as exfoliation of the epithelium and milk flow during milking can lead to mechanical removal of these bacteria. According to many authors, the adhesion ability of staphylococci is determined by the presence of surface adhesins and by the production of extracellular slime, described as a loose, shapeless, sticky material (Tylewska et al 1985, Buxton et al 1987, Matthews et al 1991, Timmerman et al 1991, Bartoszewicz-Potyrała and Przondo-Mordarska 2002. The main element of the slime pseudocapsule is a polysaccharide molecule (100,000 kDa), composed mainly of glucose and N-acetylglucosamine, which is resistant to the enzyme activity of the host organism (Bartoszewicz-Potyrała and Przondo-Mordarska 2002).…”

Differential Roles of Poly- N -Acetylglucosamine Surface Polysaccharide and Extracellular DNA in Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis Biofilms

“…Biofilms that form on tissues or medical devices are extremely difficult to eradicate because the biofilm mode of growth protects bacterial cells from killing by antibiotics and host defenses (18). Evidence suggests that biofilm formation plays a role in S. aureus wound infections (2) and osteomyelitis (7) and in S. epidermidis catheter infections (10).…”