engleski

ADHESION AND AGGREGATION CAPACITY AS IMPORTANT VIRULENCE TRAINS OF UROPATHOGENIC ENTEROCOCUS FAECALIS/FAECIUM STRAINS

Enterococci, which are part of enteric microbiota, are among the most commonly isolated gram-positive bacteria in the clinical microbiology laboratory. Bacterial adhesion and subsequent colonization in host tissues represent important virulence factors crucial for early critical step of the pathogenesis. Therefore, we examined the auto-aggregation and adhesion capacity of Enterococcus strains isolated from urine. Fifty E. faecalis and 20 E. faecium isolates were included in this study. They were collected in urine, from patients admitted to the Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka. The auto aggregation ability of these bacteria, as well as the adhesion to HeLa cells was tested. Bacterial suspension in RPMI with 10% of FBS (~106 bacteria/ml) was added to adherent HeLa cells (MOI 10:1). After 30 min incubation, number of adherent cells was determined by plate count. For aggregation, bacterial suspension was made in sterile PBS (~10(9) bacteria/ml) and absorbance was measured immediately and after and 24 h incubation at RT. Our results showed a pronounced aggregation ability of urinary E. faecalis isolates (from 92-98%). Also, uropathogenic strains were highly adherent to HeLa cells. These observations implied that uropathogenic E. faecalis isolates exhibit specific properties and that this is pronounced in adhesion and aggregation properties.

Enterococcus, Adhesion, Aggregation

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