[Adhesion of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus to cheek epithelial cells]

Adhesive properties of 309 strains of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus were determined toward cells of cheek epithelium obtained from 13 healthy women. Most of strains adhered in number of > 0-20 bacterial cells for one epithelial cell. Adherence of A. calcoaceticus to cheek epithelium was dependent not only of variety, strain and temperature of bacterial culture, but also of individual properties of epithelial cells obtained from donors. Relation between hydrophobic properties and adherence to cheek epithelial cells in tested bacteria was observed. Strains with very strong hydrophobic properties (auto-aggregating strains) were exhibiting weaker adhesive abilities when compared with strains with lower hydrophobic properties (strains causing no aggregation).