BACTERIAL ADHERENCE TO BIOINERT AND BIOACTIVE MATERIALS STUDIED IN-VITRO

In vitro, bioinert stainless steel and titanium alloy, and bioactive s intered hydroxyapatite and hydroxyapatite-coated titanium materials we re exposed to Staphylococcus epidermidis to study bacterial adhesion. Scanning electron microscopy showed that fibrous strands interconnecte d the adherent bacteria, and that background matrix enclosed bacterial colonies. This adherent mode of growth may reduce the susceptibility of the bacteria to host clearance mechanisms and antibiotic therapy. A dherence assays revealed that bacterial adherence to sintered hydroxya patite was higher than to the other 3 materials.