Microbiology & Immunology Publications
Use of lactobacilli to reduce the adhesion of Staphylococcus aureus to catheters
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-1985
Journal
Biotechnic and Histochemistry
Volume
60
Issue
4
First Page
211
Last Page
217
URL with Digital Object Identifier
10.3109/10520298509113915
Abstract
A fluorescent antibody technique has been devised to assess specifically the adherence of Escherichia coli in vitro to uroepithelial cells from healthy women and bacterial adherence in vivo to cells from women with symptomatic urinary tract infection. Similar values can be obtained using methylene blue as the bacterial stain, but this depends on the experience of the observer. The results indicate that E. coli adherence to uroepithelial cells is a factor in the infection process. We suggest that uroepithelial cells from patients with symptoms of a urinary tract infection whose urine has a low bacterial count (<10 cells/ml) could be examined for the presence of adherent uropathogens, which may be indicative of an infection. Although the fluorescent staining technique possibly would be expensive, the results would be specific and reliable. Other diagnostic and research applications suggest themselves as in studies of bacterial colonization of mucosal tissues or plastic catheters, where conventional light microscopy and radiolabelling methods are not effective. © 1985 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted. 3