Role of swarming in the formation of crystalline biofilms on urinary catheters Free

Abstract

The care of many patients undergoing long-term bladder catheterization is frequently complicated by infection with . These organisms colonize the catheter, forming surface biofilm communities, and their urease activity generates alkaline conditions under which crystals of magnesium ammonium phosphate and calcium phosphate are formed and become trapped in the biofilm. As the biofilm develops it obstructs the flow of urine through the catheter, causing either incontinence due to leakage of urine around the catheter or retention of urine in the bladder. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the surface-associated swarming motility of in the initiation and development of these crystalline catheter biofilms. A set of stable transposon mutants with a range of swimming and swarming abilities were tested for their ability to colonize silicone surfaces in a parallel-plate flow cell. A laboratory model of the catheterized bladder was then used to examine their ability to form crystalline, catheter-blocking biofilms. The results showed that neither swarming nor swimming motility was required for the attachment of to silicone. Mutants deficient in swarming and swimming were also capable of forming crystalline biofilms and blocking catheters more rapidly than the wild-type strain.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/jmm.0.46123-0
2005-09-01
2024-03-28
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/jmm/54/9/JM540901.html?itemId=/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/jmm.0.46123-0&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1. Allison C., Lai H. C., Hughes C. 1992; Co-ordinate expression of virulence genes during swarm-cell differentiation and population migration of Proteus mirabilis . Mol Microbiol 6:1583–1591 [CrossRef]
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Belas R., Goldman M., Ashliman K. 1995; Genetic analysis of Proteus mirabilis mutants defective in swarmer cell elongation. J Bacteriol 177:823–828
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Creno R. J., Wenk R. E. 1970; Automated micromeasurement of urea using urease and the Berthelot reaction. Am J Clin Pathol 54:828–832
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Darouiche R. O. 2001; Device-associated infections: a macroproblem that starts with microadherence. Clin Infect Dis 33:1567–1572 [CrossRef]
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Downer A., Morris N., Feast W. J., Stickler D. 2003; Polymer surface properties and their effect on the adhesion of Proteus mirabilis . Proc Inst Mech Eng [H] 217279–289
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Falkinham J. O., Hoffman P. S. 1984; Unique developmental characteristics of the swarm and short cells of Proteus vulgaris and Proteus mirabilis . J Bacteriol 158:1037–1040
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Gottenbos B., van der Mei H. C., Busscher H. J. 1999; Models for studying initial adhesion and surface growth in biofilm formation on surfaces. Methods Enzymol 310:523–534
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Jansen A. M., Lockatell C. V., Johnson D. E., Mobley H. L. T. 2003; Visualization of Proteus mirabilis morphotypes in the urinary tract: the elongated swarmer cell is rarely observed in ascending urinary tract infection. Infect Immun 71:3607–3613 [CrossRef]
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Jones B. V., Young R., Mahenthiralingam E., Stickler D. J. 2004; Ultrastructure of Proteus mirabilis swarmer cell rafts and role of swarming in catheter-associated urinary tract infection. Infect Immun 72:3941–3950 [CrossRef]
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Kunin C. M. 1997; Urinary Tract Infections; Detection, Prevention and Management . , 5th edn. pp 226–278 Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins;
  11. Legnani-Fajardo C., Zunino P., Piccini C., Allen A., Maskell D. 1996; Defined mutants of Proteus mirabilis lacking flagella cause ascending urinary tract infection in mice. Microb Pathog 21:395–405 [CrossRef]
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Mireles J. R. II, Toguchi A., Harshey R. M. 2001; Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium swarming mutants with altered biofilm-forming abilities: surfactin inhibits biofilm formation. J Bacteriol 183:5848–5854 [CrossRef]
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Mobley H. L. T. 1996; Virulence of Proteus mirabilis . In Urinary Tract Infections. Molecular Pathogenesis and Clinical Management pp 245–265 Edited by Mobley H. L. T, Warren J. W. Washington, DC: American Society for Microbiology;
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Morris N. S., Stickler D. J., McLean R. J. C. 1999; The development of bacterial biofilms on indwelling urethral catheters. World J Urol 17:345–350 [CrossRef]
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Sabbuba N., Hughes G., Stickler D. J. 2002; The migration of Proteus mirabilis and other urinary tract pathogens over Foley catheters. BJU Int 89:55–60 [CrossRef]
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Stickler D. J., Zimakoff J. 1994; Complications of urinary-tract infections associated with devices used for long-term bladder management. J Hosp Infect 28:177–194 [CrossRef]
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Stickler D. J., Hughes G. 1999; Ability of Proteus mirabilis to swarm over urethral catheters. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 18:206–208 [CrossRef]
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Stickler D. J., Morris N. S., Winters C. 1999; Simple physical model to study formation and physiology of biofilms on urethral catheters. Methods Enzymol 310:494–501
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Zunino P., Piccini C., Legnani-Fajardo C. 1994; Flagellate and non-flagellate Proteus mirabilis in the development of experimental urinary-tract infection. Microb Pathog 16:379–385 [CrossRef]
    [Google Scholar]
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/jmm.0.46123-0
Loading
/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/jmm.0.46123-0
Loading

Data & Media loading...

Most cited Most Cited RSS feed