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Published on: January 7, 2019
Peri-implant tissue is an important niche for Staphylococcus epidermidis in experimental biomaterial-associated
Corine A N Broekhuizen1, Leonie de Boer, Kim Schipper
1Department of Medical Microbiology, CINIMA (Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam), Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 15, L1-116, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
Biomaterial-associated infections (BAI), which are predominantly caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis, are a significant problem in modern medicine. Biofilm formation is considered the pivotal element in the pathogenesis, but in previous mouse studies we retrieved S. epidermidis from peri-implant tissue. To assess the kinetics and generality of tissue colonization, we investigated BAI using two S. epidermidis strains, two biomaterials, and two mouse strains. With small inocula all implants were culture negative, whereas surrounding tissues were positive. When higher doses were used, tissues were culture positive more often than implants, with higher numbers of CFU. This was true for the different biomaterials tested, for both S. epidermidis strains, at different times, and for both mouse strains. S. epidermidis colocalized with host cells at a distance that was >10 cell layers from the biomaterial-tissue interface. We concluded that in mouse experimental BAI S. epidermidis peri-implant tissue colonization is more important than biofilm formation.
Insights
Biomaterial-associated infections (BAI) involve Staphylococcus epidermidis. In mouse models, peri-implant tissue colonization by S. epidermidis is more critical than biofilm formation for BAI.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Biomaterials Science
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Biomaterial-associated infections (BAI) are a major clinical challenge, often caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis.
- Biofilm formation is traditionally considered the primary factor in BAI pathogenesis.
- Previous studies suggest S. epidermidis can be found in peri-implant tissues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the kinetics and prevalence of Staphylococcus epidermidis tissue colonization in experimental biomaterial-associated infections.
- To determine the relative importance of biofilm formation versus tissue colonization in BAI pathogenesis.
- To assess the influence of different S. epidermidis strains, biomaterials, and mouse strains on infection dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Utilized two S. epidermidis strains, two types of biomaterials, and two mouse strains to model BAI.
- Administered varying inoculum sizes of S. epidermidis to implants.
- Quantified bacterial presence and localization in both implant materials and surrounding peri-implant tissues over time.
Main Results:
- Low inocula resulted in culture-negative implants but positive surrounding tissues.
- Higher inocula led to more frequent and higher bacterial counts (CFU) in tissues compared to implants.
- These findings were consistent across different biomaterials, S. epidermidis strains, time points, and mouse strains.
- S. epidermidis was observed to colocalize with host cells more than 10 cell layers away from the implant interface.
Conclusions:
- Peri-implant tissue colonization by S. epidermidis is a more significant factor in experimental BAI than biofilm formation on the biomaterial.
- These findings challenge the traditional view of biofilm as the sole critical element in BAI pathogenesis.
- Understanding tissue colonization dynamics is crucial for developing effective strategies against biomaterial-associated infections.
