TY - JOUR
T1 - Acinetobacter pittii biofilm formation on inanimate surfaces after long-term desiccation
AU - Bravo, Z.
AU - Chapartegui-González, I.
AU - Lázaro-Díez, M.
AU - Ramos-Vivas, J.
N1 - Funding Information:
Z.B. holds a contract from the University of the Basque Country. I.C.-G. holds a contract from the Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Valdecilla IDIVAL (AIP14/01/PI13/01310). M.L.-D. holds a contract from the Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Valdecilla IDIVAL and Universidad de Cantabria (PREVAL16/05). The authors thank Dr F. Madrazo (Technology Support Services, IDIVAL) for helping with confocal microscopy and Dr I. Arana for his excellent assistance in the preparation of the manuscript. J.R.-V. acknowledges the receipt of a SEIMC fellowship. Research in our laboratory is supported by the Spanish Instituto de Salud Carlos III , Spain (grants PI13/01310 and PI16/01103 ) and the Plan Nacional de I+D+i 2013-2016 and Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Subdirección General de Redes y Centros de Investigación Cooperativa, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spanish Network for Research in Infectious Diseases (REIPI RD16/0016/0007) – co-financed by European Development Regional Fund ‘A way to achieve Europe’ ERDF and operative program Intelligent Growth 2014–2020.
Funding Information:
Z.B. holds a contract from the University of the Basque Country. I.C.-G. holds a contract from the Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Valdecilla IDIVAL (AIP14/01/PI13/01310). M.L.-D. holds a contract from the Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Valdecilla IDIVAL and Universidad de Cantabria (PREVAL16/05). The authors thank Dr F. Madrazo (Technology Support Services, IDIVAL) for helping with confocal microscopy and Dr I. Arana for his excellent assistance in the preparation of the manuscript. J.R.-V. acknowledges the receipt of a SEIMC fellowship. Research in our laboratory is supported by the Spanish Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain (grants PI13/01310 and PI16/01103) and the Plan Nacional de I+D+i 2013-2016 and Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Subdirección General de Redes y Centros de Investigación Cooperativa, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spanish Network for Research in Infectious Diseases (REIPI RD16/0016/0007) – co-financed by European Development Regional Fund ‘A way to achieve Europe’ ERDF and operative program Intelligent Growth 2014–2020.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 The Healthcare Infection Society
PY - 2018/1
Y1 - 2018/1
N2 - Background The survival of pathogenic micro-organisms in the healthcare environment has a major role in nosocomial infections. Among the responsible mechanisms enabling nosocomial pathogens to persist with these stress conditions is their ability to resist desiccation and to form biofilms. Aim To investigate the survival behaviour of Acinetobacter pittii isolates on inert surfaces and saline microcosms. Methods Five A. pittii clinical strains were spotted over white laboratory coat fragments, glass, and plastic surfaces, or inoculated into sterile saline and monitored at room temperature for a period of 43 days. Findings Although the permanence on solid surfaces negatively affected the culturability of the strains used, a fraction of stressed cells survived for at least the period of study. On average, A. pittii culturability was reduced by 77.3%, 80.9%, and 68.1% in white coat, plastic, and glass surfaces, respectively. However, ∼85.6% of the populations retain their culturability in saline solution. Culturability correlated with the presence of cells with an intact membrane, as demonstrated after live/dead staining. Supplementation of the culture medium with sodium pyruvate favoured the culturability of strains from all conditions; but, in general, A. pittii populations did not enter a viable but non-culturable state. Conclusion After long-term desiccation, all A. pittii strains retained, or even increased, their ability to form biofilms after they had been fed with nutrient media. This suggests that A. pittii may recover easily from desiccation and may express adherence factors to infect new hosts after rehydration.
AB - Background The survival of pathogenic micro-organisms in the healthcare environment has a major role in nosocomial infections. Among the responsible mechanisms enabling nosocomial pathogens to persist with these stress conditions is their ability to resist desiccation and to form biofilms. Aim To investigate the survival behaviour of Acinetobacter pittii isolates on inert surfaces and saline microcosms. Methods Five A. pittii clinical strains were spotted over white laboratory coat fragments, glass, and plastic surfaces, or inoculated into sterile saline and monitored at room temperature for a period of 43 days. Findings Although the permanence on solid surfaces negatively affected the culturability of the strains used, a fraction of stressed cells survived for at least the period of study. On average, A. pittii culturability was reduced by 77.3%, 80.9%, and 68.1% in white coat, plastic, and glass surfaces, respectively. However, ∼85.6% of the populations retain their culturability in saline solution. Culturability correlated with the presence of cells with an intact membrane, as demonstrated after live/dead staining. Supplementation of the culture medium with sodium pyruvate favoured the culturability of strains from all conditions; but, in general, A. pittii populations did not enter a viable but non-culturable state. Conclusion After long-term desiccation, all A. pittii strains retained, or even increased, their ability to form biofilms after they had been fed with nutrient media. This suggests that A. pittii may recover easily from desiccation and may express adherence factors to infect new hosts after rehydration.
KW - Acinetobacter pittii
KW - Biofilm
KW - Healthcare-associated infection
KW - Survival time
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jhin.2017.07.031
DO - 10.1016/j.jhin.2017.07.031
M3 - Article
C2 - 28764931
AN - SCOPUS:85029528765
SN - 0195-6701
VL - 98
SP - 74
EP - 82
JO - Journal of Hospital Infection
JF - Journal of Hospital Infection
IS - 1
ER -