Identification of a novel antigen from Staphylococcus epidermidis

A genomic DNA library of Staphylococcus epidermidis NCTC 11047 was constructed, using the Lambda Zap Express cloning vector, and screened with serum collected from a patient with S. epidermidis endocarditis. Sequence analysis of a 30 kDa cloned protein, termed staphylococcal secretory antigen, SsaA, identified a novel protein not previously reported in S. epidermidis. SsaA showed strong homology with two other staphylococcal proteins: SceB from Staphylococcus carnosus and a staphyloxanthin biosynthesis protein from Staphylococcus aureus. Further investigation revealed SsaA to be a highly antigenic protein that was expressed in vivo and could be recovered from whole cells and from the culture supernatant. A combination of Western blot analysis and PCR screening identified SsaA or a homologue in 103/103 staphylococcal strains. SsaA-like genes were not detected in other Gram-positive bacteria of medical importance or a number of Gram-negative organisms. Elevated anti-SsaA IgG antibody levels were detected in sera of five patients with S. epidermidis endocarditis but not in patients with other S. epidermidis infections, endocarditis of other aetiologies or patients with no evidence of infection. The expression of SsaA during episodes of S. epidermidis endocarditis suggests a virulence role specific to the pathogenesis of this infectious disease.     

表皮葡萄球菌生物被膜对红霉素渗透性的研究

为探讨表皮葡萄球菌生物被膜对红霉素的渗透性,我们采用生物被膜抗生素渗透模型检测Staphylcoccus epidermidis 1457、1457-msrA和临床分离株S68生物被膜不同时间点红霉素的渗透率,并用吖啶橙染色激光共聚焦显微镜观察生物被膜内细菌RNA/DNA的相对含量;扫描电子显微镜观察膜内细菌的密度.红霉素作用36 h后,1457、1457-msrA、S68的渗透率分别为0.93,0.55和0.4;1457渗透地较快,8 h后渗透率即达到0.58,而1457msrA和$68相对较为缓慢,24 h后分别为0.499和0.31:吖啶橙染色可见红霉素作用下膜内菌RNA和DNA的相对比例减小,生长速率下降;扫描电子显微镜观察可见生物被膜红霉素作用后空气面的细菌数与琼脂面相比均较少,细胞碎片相对较多,而对照组(无抗生素作用)琼脂面和空气面的细菌密度和分布较均匀.可见红霉素可渗透入表葡茵生物被膜,但不能完全杀死膜内细菌;膜内细菌在生物被膜环境中生长速率下降,有助于降低细菌对红霉素的敏感性.     

表皮葡萄球菌生物被膜对红霉素渗透性的研究

为探讨表皮葡萄球菌生物被膜对红霉素的渗透性, 我们采用生物被膜抗生素渗透模型检测Staphylcoccus epidermidis 1457、1457-msrA和临床分离株S68生物被膜不同时间点红霉素的渗透率, 并用吖啶橙染色激光共聚焦显微镜观察生物被膜内细菌RNA/DNA的相对含量; 扫描电子显微镜观察膜内细菌的密度。红霉素作用36 h后, 1457、1457-msrA、S68的渗透率分别为0.93, 0.55和 0.4; 1457渗透地较快, 8 h后渗透率即达到0.58, 而1457msrA和S68相对较为缓慢, 24 h后分别为0.499和0.31; 吖啶橙染色可见红霉素作用下膜内菌RNA和DNA的相对比例减小, 生长速率下降; 扫描电子显微镜观察可见生物被膜红霉素作用后空气面的细菌数与琼脂面相比均较少, 细胞碎片相对较多, 而对照组(无抗生素作用)琼脂面和空气面的细菌密度和分布较均匀。可见红霉素可渗透入表葡菌生物被膜, 但不能完全杀死膜内细菌; 膜内细菌在生物被膜环境中生长速率下降, 有助于降低细菌对红霉素的敏感性。     

The combined effects of plasma and hydrogel coating on adhesion of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus to polyurethane catheters

Abstract The adhesion of three Staphylococcus epidermidis and three S. aureus clinical isolates, to uncoated and hydrogel-coated polyurethane catheters was tested, following pretreatment of catheters with human plasma. Plasma significantly decreased the adhesion of S. epidermidis strains to uncoated polyurethane catheters, but had no significant effect on the adhesion to hydrogel-coated catheters. The influence of plasma on adhesion of S. aureus strains to catheters was strain dependent. Plasma significantly increased the adhesion of one strain (SA6) to uncoated catheters. For two other strains (SA3 and SA14) plasma produced no clear effect on their adhesion to uncoated catheters; adhesion values for each strain showed either a small but significant increase or a replicate-dependent increase or decrease. However, plasma significantly increased the adhesion of all S. aureus strains to hydrogel-coated polyurethane catheters. Overall, with the exception of one batch culture of S. epidermidis strain SE3 tested, attachment to plasma-treated hydrogel-coated catheters was statistically significantly lower, by up to 85%, than attachment to plasma-treated uncoated catheters for both S. epidermidis and S. aureus .     

引发医院感染表皮葡萄球菌生物被膜的检测

为了解引发医院感染的表皮葡萄球菌中ica操纵元的存在与生物被膜的产生的关系及其对抗生素敏感性的影响,收集了引发医院感染的表葡萄球菌106株,采用定量和定性法检测生物被膜的产生,PCR法检测ica操纵元基因的存在以及测量细菌对红霉素（ERY）、氨苄青霉素（AMP）、头孢西丁（FOX）、头孢曲松（CRO）、替考拉宁（TEC）、环丙沙星（CIP）、四环素（TCY）、复方新诺明（SXT）、万古霉素（VAN）的最小抑菌浓度（MIC）;106株表皮葡萄球菌分离株中,有33株检测出icaABC（31．1％）;ica^＋菌中产膜菌的检出率高于ica^＋菌（P=0．001）;葡萄糖和NaCl可提高产膜菌的检出率;ica^＋浮游菌对红霉素,头孢西丁和头孢曲松的耐药率高于ica^＋浮游菌株,但对氨苄青霉素,环丙沙星,四环素和复方新诺明的耐药率与ica^＋菌相似;ica位点基因的存在与引发表葡菌医院感染密切相关,但生物被膜内菌耐药机制还需进一步研究。     

Cloning and expression of Staphylococcus epidermidis urease gene sequences in Staphylococcus carnosus

The urease gene sequences of Staphylococcus epidermidis CNS23 were cloned and expressed in Staphylococcus carnosus TM300. In vitro translation of the cloned sequences revealed four polypeptides (60, 17, 11 and 7.5 kDa) that were associated with enzyme activity. Southern hybridisation experiments showed high homologies with the urease genes of Staphylococcus saprophyticus.     

Detection and Measurement of Staphylococcus epidermidis Slime Using an ELISA Technique

A polyclonal rabbit anti-serum against the strong slime-producing Staphylococcus epidermidis strain RP62A was absorbed with the slime-negative phase variant of this strain PV1 in order to remove not slime-specific antibodies. Using this antiserum we established an ELISA which enables detection of slime production in S. epidermidis extracts. The ELISA showed high absorbance when extracts from slime-positive strains (confirmed in the tissue culture tube test) were used as antigens. The high absorbance of slime-positive strains was greatly reduced by periodate oxidation of the extracts and was resistant to proteinase digestion suggesting that the detected antigen is composed of polysaccharides. In contrast to other rapid and simple laboratory detection methods for S. epidermidis slime, the slime-specific ELISA gave positive results in the presence of human serum.     

表皮葡萄球菌对大鼠变应原敏感性的影响

目的 筛选具有较好抑制金黄色葡萄球菌效果的表皮葡萄球菌,研究通过鼻腔进行表皮葡萄球菌调节观察大鼠对变应原敏感性的效果。方法 由鼻腔拭子稀释液分离筛选得到的9株表皮葡萄球菌（Staphylococcus epidermidis）,使用上清液抑制法选取抑制金黄色葡萄球菌效果最好的表皮葡萄球菌做体内实验。将Wistar大鼠分为阴性组、模型组、表葡调节组。模型组、表葡调节组使用OVA建立呼吸道炎症模型,使用表皮葡萄球菌DMSA16001进行滴鼻调节2周,同时用PBS进行滴鼻对照。统计抓鼻和喷嚏数,用ELISA进行肺灌洗液（BALF）和外周血IgE的检测。结果 （1）不同株的表皮葡萄球菌均对金黄色葡萄球菌有抑制作用,表皮葡萄球菌DMSA16001对金黄色葡萄球菌的抑制率最高。（2）与模型组相比,表葡调节组的抓鼻数显著下降（t=2.173,P=0.049）,喷嚏数有下降趋势,表葡调节组的肺灌洗液和外周血血清的IgE水平均呈现下降趋势。结论 对金黄色葡萄球菌有抑制作用的表皮葡萄球菌能使OVA造模的哮喘大鼠对变应原敏感性降低。     

Lack of biofilm contribution to bacterial colonisation in an experimental model of foreign body infection by Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis

The contribution of in vivo biofilm-forming potential of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis was studied in an experimental model of foreign body infections. Increasing inocula (from 10(2) to 10(7) organisms) of ica-positive strains of S. aureus and S. epidermidis and their ica-negative isogenic mutants (the ica locus codes for a major polysaccharide component of biofilm) were injected into subcutaneously implanted tissue cages in guinea pigs. Surprisingly, bacterial counts and time-course of tissue cage infection by ica-positive strains of S. aureus or S. epidermidis were equivalent to those of their respective ica-negative mutants, in the locally infected fluids and on tissue-cage-inserted plastic coverslips.     

The Inhibitory Effect of Staphylococcus epidermidis Slime on the Phagocytosis of Murine Peritoneal Macrophages Is Interferon-Independent

The extracellular slime produced by Staphylococcus epidermidis has been shown to interfere with several human neutrophil functions in vitro, such as chemotaxis, degranulation and phagocytosis. Slime production has been suggested as a useful marker for clinically significant infections with coagulase-negative Staphylococcus. Since the main role of macrophages in defense mechanisms is phagocytosis, the effect of slime on the phagocytic activity of macrophages was investigated. The phagocytic activity of murine peritoneal macrophages treated with slime in vitro decreased in a dose-dependent fashion. A similar decrease was also observed in macrophages isolated from mice that had previously received intraperitoneal injection of slime. To investigate whether interferon also plays a role in this process, mice were treated with interferon or an interferon inducer, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I:C), together with slime before macrophage isolation. The slime-suppressed phagocytic activity of macrophages was partially relieved by both agents, and the recovery effect of poly I:C in slime-suppressed phagocytosis of macrophages in vivo might be attributed to the increased interferon level in peritoneal fluid and sera. However, when slime was given to poly I:C-pretreated mice, the phagocytic activity remained suppressed. Thus, it appears that slime is able to suppress the phagocytic activity of macrophages regardless of the state of macrophage activation by poly I:C. The results suggest that the inhibition of phagocytosis by S. epidermidis slime may be independent from the activation of interferon.     

Comparative analysis of a biofilm-forming Staphylococcus epidermidis strain and its adhesion-positive, accumulation-negative mutant M7

Abstract We have isolated a stable slime-negative mutant, M7, from the wild-type Staphylococcus epidermidis RP62A by mitomycin mutagenesis. Besides its inability to produce slime in the test tube this mutant differed also in two other properties from its parent strain: it lacked the ability to accumulate on a surface, and it did not produce a 115 kDa and a 18 kDa extracellular protein. In all other tested properties such as initial adherence, growth rate, cell-wall composition, surface characteristics, DNA restriction profile, the presence of a 29 kb antibiotic resistance plasmid, and antimicrobial susceptibility profile, M7 was indistinguishable from its wild-type. The mutant is an important basis for further study of the pathogenesis of polymer-associated S. epidermidis infections.     

Dependence of Staphylococcus epidermidis on non-transferrin-bound iron for growth

The ability of Staphylococcus epidermidis strains to grow in the presence of human transferrin and varying amounts of ferric iron was studied. At initial bacterial densities up to 10(4) cfu ml(-1), none of the three strains grew when transferrin iron saturation was below the full saturation point, whereas the bacteria grew consistently when transferrin was fully iron-saturated and there was non-transferrin-bound iron in the medium. Precultivation of the bacteria under iron-restricted conditions to induce siderophore production did not abolish the growth dependence on non-transferrin-bound iron. At initial bacterial densities of 10(6) cfu ml(-1), the bacteria proliferated consistently also in the presence of partially saturated transferrin. The results indicate that at low bacterial densities, S. epidermidis cannot utilise transferrin-bound iron for growth and that its proliferation is dependent on non-transferrin-bound iron.     

Mini-review: Staphylococcus epidermidis as the most frequent cause of nosocomial infections: old and new fighting strategies

Staphylococcus epidermidis is nowadays regarded as the most frequent cause of nosocomial infections and indwelling medical device-associated infections. One of the features that contributes to the success of this microorganism and which is elemental to the onset of pathogenesis is its ability to form biofilms. Cells in this mode of growth are inherently more resistant to antimicrobials. Seeking to treat staphylococcal-related infections and to prevent their side effects, such as the significant morbidity and health care costs, many efforts are being made to develop of new and effective antistaphylococcal drugs. Indeed, due to its frequency and extreme resistance to treatment, staphylococcal-associated infections represent a serious burden for the public health system. This review will provide an overview of some conventional and emerging anti-biofilm approaches in the management of medical device-associated infections related to this important nosocomial pathogen.     

眼分泌物耐甲氧西林表皮葡萄球菌检测及耐药性分析

目的 探讨眼科分泌物中表皮葡萄球菌耐药特征,指导临床合理使用抗菌药物.方法 用定量接种针挑取单个菌落溶于0.5 McFarland硫酸钡接种液制成混悬液,再用接种器吸取菌液接种于Pos Combo Panel Type20,35℃孵育24 h,应用美国德灵SCAN4微生物分析仪对192株葡萄球菌中的86株表皮葡萄球菌进行鉴定和药敏试验.结果 表皮葡萄球菌检出86株,检出率为44.8％ (86/192);MRSE检出58株,检出率为30.2％ (58/192),MRSE占表皮葡萄球菌的67.4％ (58/86);MRSE对头孢西丁、青霉素、红霉素、阿莫西林/克拉维酸、头孢唑啉、复方新诺明、苯唑西林、左氧氟沙星、庆大霉素、亚胺培南具有显著耐药性,对万古霉素、利奈唑烷、利福平、四环素、氯霉素敏感.结论 眼科分泌物中表皮葡萄球菌耐药性严重,并且MRSE呈现多重耐药,医院应加强对MRSE的检测,依据药敏结果合理选用抗菌药物治疗感染.     

连翘苷和黄芩苷对表皮葡萄球菌生物膜抑制作用的研究

目的通过中药有效成分连翘苷和黄芩苷分别对表皮葡萄球菌生物膜抑制作用的研究,为表皮葡萄球菌生物膜引起的相关感染提供新的治疗途径。方法体外构建表皮葡萄球菌生物膜,XTT减低法评价连翘苷、黄芩苷对表皮葡萄球菌初始黏附及生物膜内细菌代谢的影响,显微镜下观察用药后表皮葡萄球菌生物膜形态和结构改变。结果连翘苷和黄芩苷对表皮葡萄球菌生物膜的早期黏附均无抑制作用;连翘苷对表皮葡萄球菌生物膜菌的SMIC50为31.25μg/ml,而黄芩苷对表皮葡萄球菌生物膜菌的代谢无影响;在显微镜下观察,连翘苷使部分表皮葡萄球菌被膜的形态发生改变,而黄芩苷对其形态影响不显著。结论连翘苷对表皮葡萄球菌生物膜的初始黏附阶段无抑制作用,对生物膜菌的代谢和生物膜形态均有显著影响;黄芩苷对表皮葡萄球菌生物膜无显著作用。     

纳米银离子对表皮葡萄球菌生物膜形成过程的影响

目的探讨纳米银离子对表皮葡萄球菌(Staphylococcus epidermidis)生物膜(biofilm)形成过程的影响。方法采用摇床法,以纳米银离子含量不同的乙烯-醋酸乙烯酯(Ethylene-Vinyl acetate,EVA)塑料为细菌粘附载体,建立体外生物膜模型;将各个时间点培养好的标本放在扫描电子显微镜(Scanning Electron Microscopy,SEM)及倒置显微镜下观察空白组与纳米银离子干预组中生物膜的形成情况,并结合NIS-Element BR软件计算生物膜覆盖率(biofilm coverage rate,BCR);荧光探针SYTO9/PI标记生物膜内细菌、激光共聚焦显微镜(Confocal LaserScanning Microscopy,CLSM)结合生物膜图形结构分析软件(Image Structure Analyze,ISA)观察纳米银离子作用后各时间点生物膜的结构变化。结果 2 d组生物膜经SEM检测,纳米银离子干预组较空白对照组相比,细菌变稀疏,结构明显受到破坏。BCR检测,0.5 d时纳米银离子干预组较空白对照组相比差异没有统计学意义,但在1 d、2 d时BCR差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。CLSM结合ISA软件分析结果显示,2 d时空白对照组与0.1%纳米银离子干预组生物膜厚度、平均扩散距离(average diffusion distance,ADD)和结构熵(textual entropy,TE),分别为17.55±2.08和11.33±0.98、3.12±0.30和1.93±0.13、5.79±和3.17±0.16(P<0.05);区域孔率(Areal porosity,AP)为0.90±0.01和0.98±0.01(P<0.05)。但5 d时2组参数之间差异没有统计学意义。0.05%纳米银离子组也有相同的趋势。结论纳米银离子对表皮葡萄球菌的形成有抑制作用,但随着时间的推移,其抗菌作用逐渐减弱。高浓度组较低浓度组抗菌效果更加明显,持续时间更长。     

Surface free energy and interaction of Staphylococcus epidermidis with biomaterials

The adhesion of twenty nine Staphylococcus epidermidis strains to teflon, polyethylene, polycarbonate and bovine pericardium was studied in vitro and examined in relation to the surface free energies of both bacteria and biomaterials. All S. epidermidis strains had similar surface free energies, close to that of water, and adhered better to the materials with analogous surface free energies. There was a significant correlation (Kendall's Tau B = 1000) of biomaterial's surface free energy with the number of adhering bacteria. This correlation is inverse (Kendall's Tau B = -1000) when surface hydrophobicity is considered instead of surface free energy. This indicates that in Staphylococcus epidermidis adherence to biomaterials is inversely correlated to the surface hydrophobicity of the last, being so just the opposite of that occurring with other bacteria.     

Typing of Staphylococcus epidermidis strains by random amplification of polymorphic DNA

Abstract The polymerase chain reaction was used to obtain randomly amplified polymorphic DNA profiles for typing of Staphylococcus epidermidis strains. Epidemiologically unrelated S. epidermidis isolates were screened with randomly amplified polymorphic DNA analysis. The discriminating ability of 45 randomly designed 10-mer primers was assessed. The highest discriminatory power was obtained with the 10-mer oligonucleotide OPAM-12. In typing a total of 13 unrelated S. epidermidis strains with OPAM-12,11 different banding profiles were obtained reproducibly by agarose gel electrophoresis. The discriminatory power of the method with OPAM-12 was estimated using the D value of Hunter and Gaston (1988) to be 0.961. A reproducibility index of 1 was obtained after typing a total of 40 cultures including 12 triplicates and one quadruplicate of the 13 unrelated strains. Following the described procedure, the randomly amplified polymorphic DNA method provided a rapid, simple and reproducible alternative to other S. epidermidis typing systems.     

表面活性剂溴化十六烷基吡啶对产膜表皮葡萄球菌粘附作用的影响

目的 通过表面活性剂溴化十六烷基吡啶抗表皮葡萄球菌生物被膜菌粘附作用的研究,为临床针对产膜表皮葡萄球菌引起的相关感染提供可能的探索方向和防治途径。方法 以万古霉素为阳性对照,利用XTT减低法,评价溴化十六烷基吡啶对表皮葡萄球菌初始粘附的影响。结果 浓度为4、2和1 mg/L的溴化十六烷基吡啶对表皮葡萄球菌初始粘附均有显著的抑制作用,与阴性对照组比较差异有统计学意义(t=0.4555~34.9664,P<0.01);用浓度为32、16、8和4 mg/L的溴化十六烷基吡啶对实验材料预处理后,对表皮葡萄球菌初始粘附抑制作用明显,与阴性对照组比较差异有统计学意义(t=1.1125~21.9246,P<0.001)。结论 溴化十六烷基吡啶无论是直接作用或是对实验材料预处理,对表皮葡萄球菌形成生物被膜的初始粘附过程具有显著抑制作用。