Surface Properties Of Staphylococcus Saprophyticus and Staphylococcus Epidermidis as Studied by Adherence Tests and Two‐Polymer, Aqueous Phase Systems

Abstract

S. saprophyticus is an established pathogen in man, devoided of characteristics associated with pathogenicity in Staphylococcus aureus. The ability of this species to attach to cells from regions, viz. the urinary tract, where it acts as an invador and to cells from areas where it is known as a commensal, was compared to its behaviour in this respect with another staphylococcal species, viz. S. epidermidis. S. saprophyticus showed a preferential adherence to human exfoliated urogenital cells, when compared with its ability to attach to skin and buccal cells from man and also when compared with porcine cells from these regions. The profound ability to adhere to human exfoliated urogenital epithelial cells by far exceeded that of S. epidermidis, while no such species difference was found when testing porcine cells (S. saprophyticus is unknown as a urogenital tract pathogen in pigs). When studied in a two‐polymer, aqueous phase system, S. saprophyticus and S. epidermidis were found to have a negative surface charge at pH 7.2, but the former carried a considerably higher surface charge density. Both staphylococcal species exhibited a poor hydrophobic interaction liability. These physico‐chemical surface characteristics are briefly discussed with regard to the differential bacteria‐cell interactions of these species.

Specimen Collection and Processing

“…This species is especially adapted to damaged or traumatized tissue or skin. S. saprophyticus is usually found in small, transient populations on a variety of body sites, but this species possesses surface properties that allow it to adhere readily to urogenital cells (57). The predominant Staphylococcus species of humans, S. epidermidis, is widely distributed over the body surface (165,172).…”

Characterisation of a cell wall-anchored protein of Staphylococcus saprophyticus associated with linoleic acid resistance

“…Apart from rare complications, S. saprophyticus is only known to infect the urinary system [ 17 - 19 ]. The primary niches of this organism are in the human gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts [ 4 , 20 ].…”