Investigation of factors related to biofilm formation in Providencia stuartii

Abstract

Providencia stuartii is one of the Enterobacteriaceae species of medical importance commonly associated with urinary infections, which can also cause other ones, including uncommon ones, such as liver abscess and septic vasculitis.This bacterium stands out in the expression of intrinsic and acquired resistance to antimicrobials. Besides, it uses mechanisms such as biofi lm for its persistence in biotic and abiotic environments. This study investigated the cellular hydrophobicity profi le of clinical isolates of P. stuartii. It also analyzed genes related to the fi mbrial adhesin in this species comparing with other reports described for other bacteria from Enterobacteriaceae family. The investigated isolates to form biofi lm and had a practically hydrophilic cell surface profi le. However, fi mH and mrkD genes were not found in P. stuartii, unlike observed in other species of Enterobacteriaceae. These results show that P. stuartii has specifi cities regarding its potential for biofi lm formation, which makes it diffi cult to destabilize the infectious process and increases the permanence of this pathogen in hospital units.