Coagulase negative Staphylococci are emerging pathogenic bacteria, associated particularly with abiotic medical prosthetic surfaces. A multiple drug resistant biofilm forming strain of Staphylococcus auricularis NC isolate, an infrequently associated coagulase negative Staphylococci from intraocular lenses of post operative endophthalmitis case was isolated and its virulence characteristics studied. Multiple drug resistant, biofilm former and coagulase positive Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 33592 was used as a reference strain. Herein we report the biofilm formation ability and resistance to oxidative stress in the biofilm growth of Staphylococcus auricularis. This emerging pathogenic isolate showed resistant to over 16 different antibiotics of all classes including novobiocin. As a strong biofilm former it also showed resistance to oxidative stress (25mM H2O2, 50mM H2O2, 500 µM sodium nitroprusside as nitric oxide donor) but not to high osmotic stress (9.5% NaCl). This study is of basic interest to the field of emerging infectious agents, particularly infrequently isolated coagulase negative Staphylococci auricularis in medical microbiology.
Staphylococcus auricularis, S. aureus, Endophthalmitis, Biofilm former
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