The Journal of Medical Microbiology, Vol 40, Issue 1 37-42, Copyright © 1994 by Society for General Microbiology
Attachment of staphylococci to different plastic tubes in vitro
F. Espersen, M. Wurr, L. Corneliussen, A. L. Hog, V. T. Rosdahl, N. Frimodt-Moller and P. Skinhoj
Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Adherence of 18 staphylococcal strains to 13 types of uncoated plastic
tubes made from 10 different plastic materials were investigated by binding
of radiolabelled bacteria in phosphate-buffered saline for 2 h at 37
degrees C. The different materials could be divided into five groups based
on their ability to bind staphylococci. Lowest adhesion was found for
plasticised polyvinylchloride. Simple assays for the relative binding of
peroxidase-labelled human IgG or fibrinogen did not predict the result of
adhesion studies. Neither bacterial surface hydrophobicity measured in a
two-phase partitioning assay, nor hydrophobicity of materials (wettability)
as measured by their contact angles in water correlated with bacterial
adhesion. Adhesion of staphylococci to certain plastic materials was
greatly influenced by the method used for sterilisation of the material.
