Biofilm-Formation Ability and the Presence of Adhesion Genes in Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci Isolates from Chicken Broilers
Agnieszka Marek,
Ewelina Pyzik,
Dagmara Stępień-Pyśniak,
Marta Dec,
Łukasz S. Jarosz,
Anna Nowaczek,
Magdalena Sulikowska
Affiliations
Agnieszka Marek
Sub-Department of Preventive Veterinary and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Biological Bases of Animal Diseases, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
Ewelina Pyzik
Sub-Department of Preventive Veterinary and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Biological Bases of Animal Diseases, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
Dagmara Stępień-Pyśniak
Sub-Department of Preventive Veterinary and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Biological Bases of Animal Diseases, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
Marta Dec
Sub-Department of Preventive Veterinary and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Biological Bases of Animal Diseases, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
Łukasz S. Jarosz
Department of Epizootiology and Clinic of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Głęboka 30, 20-612 Lublin, Poland
Anna Nowaczek
Sub-Department of Preventive Veterinary and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Biological Bases of Animal Diseases, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
Magdalena Sulikowska
Eskulap-Veterinary Clinic, 37-310 Nowa Sarzyna, Poland
The aim of the study was to analyze the biofilm-production capacity of 87 coagulase-negative Staphylococcus strains (CoNS) isolated from broiler chickens and to determine the occurrence of biofilm-associated genes. The biofilm production capacity of staphylococci was assessed using the microtiter plate method (MTP), and the frequency of genes was determined by PCR. The ability to form a biofilm in vitro was shown in 79.3% of examined strains. Strong biofilm capacity was demonstrated in 26.4% of strains, moderate capacity in 25.3%, weak capacity in 27.6%, and a complete lack of biofilm production capacity in 20.7% of strains. The icaAB gene responsible for the production of extracellular polysaccharide adhesins was detected in 6.9% of strains. The other four genes, i.e., bap (encoding biofilm-associated protein), atlE (encoding cell surface protein exhibiting vitronectin-binding activity), fbe (encoding fibrinogen-binding protein), and eno (encoding laminin-binding protein) were detected in 5.7%, 19.5%, 8%, and 70.1% of strains, respectively. Demonstration of genes that play a role in bacterial biofilm formation may serve as a genetic basis to distinguish between symbiotic and potentially invasive coagulase-negative staphylococcal strains.
