Characterization of the relationship between polysaccharide intercellular adhesin and hemagglutination in Staphylococcus epidermidis

To determine whether a relationship exists between biofilm formation and he magglutination in Staphylococcus epidermidis, 20 skin isolates and 19 prost hetic valve endocarditis isolates were characterized for biofilm formation, hemagglutination, and the presence of a 357-bp polymerase chain reaction p roduct within icaA, A strong association existed between biofilm formation, which has been linked to strains that produce polysaccharide intercellular adhesin (PIA), and hemagglutination. Strains that produced biofilm were si gnificantly (P < .001) more likely to mediate hemagglutination (16 biofilm- positive/hemagglutination-positive strains and 19 biofilm-negative/hemagglu tination-negative strains) within the 39 clinical strains tested. In additi on, Staphylococcus carnosus TM300, a biofilm-negative, hemagglutination-neg ative strain, carrying the ica operon-containing plasmid pCN27, produced si gnificant biofilm on glass and mediated hemagglutination (greater than or e qual to 1/128). It was concluded that production of PIA and hemagglutinatio n are strongly associated and that PIA, at least in part, mediates hemagglu tination in S. epidermidis.