In vitro biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus isolated from wounds of hospital-admitted patients and their association with antimicrobial resistance
International Journal of General Medicine
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In vitro biofilm formation by Staphylococcus
aureus isolated from wounds of hospital-admitted
patients and their association with antimicrobial
resistance
This article was published in the following Dove Press journal:
International Journal of General Medicine
Puja Neopane 1,2
Hari Prasad Nepal 3
Rojeet Shrestha 4
Osamu Uehara 5
Yoshihiro Abiko 2
1
Department of Microbiology,
Chitwan Medical College and Teaching
Hospital, Bharatpur, Nepal; 2Division
of Oral Medicine and Pathology,
Department of Human Biology and
Pathophysiology, School of Dentistry,
Health Sciences University of
Hokkaido, Tobetsu, Japan; 3Department
of Microbiology, Trinity School of
Medicine, Kingstown, St. Vincent and
the Grenadines; 4School of Medicine,
Washington University of Barbados,
St. Philip, Barbados; 5Division of
Disease Control and Molecular
Epidemiology, Department of Oral
Growth and Development, Health
Sciences University of Hokkaido,
Tobetsu, Japan
Introduction: Staphylococcus aureus including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) has
the propensity to form biofilms, and causes significant mortality and morbidity in the patients
with wounds. Our aim was to study the in vitro biofilm-forming ability of S. aureus isolated
from wounds of hospitalized patients and their association with antimicrobial resistance.
Materials and methods: Forty-three clinical isolates of S. aureus were obtained from 150
pus samples using standard microbiological techniques. Biofilm formation in these isolates was
detected by tissue culture plate (TCP) method and tube adherence method (TM). Antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed using the modified Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method
as per Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. MRSA was detected using the
cefoxitin disk test.
Results: Biofilm formation was observed in 30 (69.8%) and 28 (65.1%) isolates of S. aureus
via TCP method and TM, respectively. Biofilm-producing S. aureus exhibited a higher incidence of antimicrobial resistance when compared with the biofilm nonproducers (P<0.05).
Importantly, 86.7% of biofilm-producing S. aureus were multidrug resistant (MDR), whereas
all the biofilm nonproducers were non-MDR (P<0.05). Large proportions (43.3%) of biofilm
producers were identified as MRSA; however, none of the biofilm nonproducers were found
to be MRSA (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Both the in vitro methods showed that S. aureus isolated from wound infection
of hospitalized patients have high degree of biofilm-forming ability. Biofilm-producing strains
have very high tendency to exhibit antimicrobial resistance, multidrug resistance and methicillin resistance. Regular surveillance of biofilm formation by S. aureus and their antimicrobial
resistance profile may lead to the early treatment of the wound infection.
Keywords: biofilm, multidrug resistant, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Introduction
Correspondence: Yoshihiro Abiko
Division of Oral Medicine and Pathology,
Department of Human Biology and
Pathophysiology, School of Dentistry,
Health Sciences University of Hokkaido,
1757 Kanazawa, Ishikari-Tobetsu,
Hokkaido, 061-0293, Japan
Tel +81 133 23 1211
Fax +81 133 23 1390
Email
25
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http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/IJGM.S153268
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Biofilms are the aggregation of bacteria embedded in a self-produced extracellular
matrix of exopolysaccharides (EPSs), proteins and some micromolecules such as
DNA. They can form on both biotic and abiotic surfaces.1 Studies have confirmed
using scanning electron microscopy and other molecular techniques that wounds are
colonized by biofilms.2,3 Biofilm protects the microorganism from host defenses and
impedes delivery of antibiotics which may cause impairment in wound healing.4,5
Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic pathogen implicated as the most common
agent of skin and soft tissue infections. It exists in the nasopharynx, skin, eye, intestine
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Neopane et al
and urogenital tract as normal flora. However, it can breach
the skin barriers through the wound or surgical incision and
cause infection. Furthermore, it has the ability to adhere to
and form a biofilm on tissues or medical indwelling devices.
S. aureus initially adheres to a solid substrate, after which
cell–cell adhesion occurs; the bacteria then multiply to form
a multilayered biofilm encased in EPS. In fact, biofilm formation involves the production of polysaccharide intercellular
adhesin,6 which depends on the expression of the intercellular adhesion (IcaADBC) operon that encodes three membrane proteins (IcaA, IcaD and IcaC) and one extracellular
protein (IcaB).7 In addition, several surface proteins have
been involved in the biofilm formation process, including
biofilm-associated protein,8 S. aureus surface protein G,9
fibronectin-binding proteins or staphylococcal protein A.10
Biofilm formation by S. aureus can lead to a delay in reepithelialization of the infected tissues, ultimately increasing
healing time. S. aureus biofilms have been associated with
chronic wounds like diabetic foot ulcer, pressure sores and
venous ulcers.3 Detachment of matured biofilm of S. aureus
is a prerequisite for the dissemination of wound infection.11
Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) poses a great risk
to patients with wounds; significant increase in both mortality and morbidity in humans has been reported in patients
infected with MRSA due to the development of biofilms.12
MRSA are frequently resistant to a wide variety of antibiotics,
and this is more pronounced in those having ability to form
a biofilm. The S. aureus infections and biofilm formations,
in addition to an increase in the length of hospital stay, are
associated with more clinically important pathologies such as
pneumonia, polyarthritis, necrotizing f (...truncated)