The hydrophobicity of gram-negative bacteria isolated from patients with inflammatory and suppurative-destructive lung diseases]

Hydrophobic properties of 11 enterobacterial strains and 12 Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from patient with inflammatory and purulent destructive diseases of the lungs were studied. The hydrophobic properties of the isolated bacteria were determined by the method of salting out with ammonium sulfate. A high correlation (r = 0.56) between the above-mentioned properties of gram-negative bacteria and their isolation rate from patients with destructive diseases was established. The hydrophobic properties of bacteria were supposed to be of importance in the process of the colonization of pulmonary tissues with bacterial flora.