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Slime-producing Staphylococcus epidermidis and S. aureus in acute bacterial conjunctivitis in soft contact lens

Piergiorgio Catalanotti1, Michele Lanza, Antonio Del Prete

  • 1Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Sezione di Microbiologia e Microbiologia clinica, Seconda Università di Napoli, Napoli, Italy. piergior.catalanotti@unina2.it

The New Microbiologica
|January 3, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Soft contact lens wear is linked to Staphylococcus infections. Slime-producing bacteria, identified by icaA and icaD genes, were common in patients, showing increased hydrophobicity but varied antibiotic resistance.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • An increase in ocular pathologies associated with soft contact lens wear has been observed.
  • Staphylococcus species, particularly slime-producing strains, are common infectious agents in these cases.
  • Slime production is genetically controlled by the intercellular adhesion (ica) locus, including icaA and icaD genes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence of slime production in Staphylococcus strains isolated from contact lens wearers with bacterial conjunctivitis.
  • To correlate slime production with the presence of icaA and icaD genes.
  • To analyze antibiotic susceptibility and genetic relatedness (PFGE) of these clinical isolates.

Main Methods:

  • Conjunctival swabs were collected from 97 patients wearing soft contact lenses with bacterial conjunctivitis.
  • Slime production, presence of icaA and icaD genes, surface hydrophobicity, antibiotic susceptibility, and Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns were determined.
  • Clinical isolates were identified as Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus.

Main Results:

  • 74.1% of S. epidermidis and 61.1% of S. aureus strains were slime producers, harboring icaA and icaD genes.
  • Slime-producing strains of both species showed higher surface hydrophobicity compared to non-producers.
  • PFGE patterns showed overlap in highly hydrophobic S. epidermidis strains, but this was not directly related to biofilm production. Limited correlation was found between Staphylococcus species, slime production, hydrophobicity, and antibiotic susceptibility.

Conclusions:

  • Slime production, mediated by icaA and icaD genes, is prevalent in Staphylococcus strains causing conjunctivitis in soft contact lens wearers.
  • Increased surface hydrophobicity is associated with slime production in these isolates.
  • The study highlights a complex interplay between slime production, genetic factors, surface properties, and antibiotic resistance, with limited direct correlations observed among the factors studied.

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