A novel synthetic synovial fluid model for investigating biofilm formation and antibiotic susceptibility in prosthetic joint infections.

Unlabelled: There is growing evidence that bacteria encountered in prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) form surface-attached biofilms on prostheses, as well as biofilm aggregates embedded in synovial fluid and tissues. However, models allowing the investigation of these biofilms and the assessment of their antimicrobial susceptibility in physiologically relevant conditions are currently lacking. To address this, we developed a synthetic synovial fluid (SSF2) model and validated this model by investigating growth, aggregate formation, and antimicrobial susceptibility using multiple PJI isolates belonging to various microorganisms.