EFFECTS OF PLASMA ON ADHESION OF BIOFILM FORMING PSEUDOMONAS-AERUGINOSA AND STAPHYLOCOCCUS-EPIDERMIDIS TO FIBRIN SUBSTRATE

Bacterial adhesion has been identified as the critical initial step in the pathogenesis of foreign body related infection. Recent investigat ions have shown microbial binding to implanted polymeric materials usi ng specific adhesion of bacteria to immobilized plasma proteins, such as fibrin. These proteins are thought to function as bridging molecule s to facilitate bacterial colonization of the surface. The authors' re sults indicated a significant reduction in adhesion of biofilm forming Pseudomonas aeruginosa and coagulase negative Staphylococcus epidermi dis to immobilized fibrin strands in the presence of platelet poor pla sma (PPP) as compared to studies performed with phosphate buffered sal ine and Hank's balanced salt solution. A 10-fold decrease in the numbe r of adherent bacteria was noted for samples exposed to PPP as compare d to control samples. The effective range of PPP concentrations capabl e of producing the marked decrease in binding to fibrin strands was de termined to be 1-100% for P. aeruginosa and 4-100% for S. epidermidis.