Slime production of Staphylococcus epidermidis - Increased bacterial adherence and accumulation onto pure titanium

In an in vitro study using Staphylococcus epidermidis RP 62 A, a slime-prod ucing strain and its isogenic slime-negative mutant M7, we demonstrated tha t both strains adhere to pure titanium discs with significantly higher colo ny counts for the slime-producing strain. The colony count was dependent on temperature, time and strain. Prolonged incubation time (24 h) under growt h conditions leads to higher colony counts for the slime-producing strain R P 62 A. As the slime-negative mutant M 7 can adhere to, but not form multip le layers on metallic surfaces, increase of incubation time does not produc e higher colony counts on the metallic surface. We conclude that slime prod uction is important for adherence and subsequent accumulation of S. epiderm idis onto pure titanium discs in vitro.