Adherence of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from urine to medical prostheses and glass.

The physicochemical surface property of two Staphylococcus aureus isolates obtained from urine (isolates B and C) and a standard strain ATCC 13709 (isolate A) were compared. Isolate B was the most hydrophobic while isolate A was least hydrophobic as determined by bacterial adherence to hydrocarbon (BATH). Isolate A was most adherent to silicone urinary catheter and least adherent to both glass and intravenous catheter placement unit. Isolate B was most adherent to glass while isolate C was most adherent to the intravenous catheter. The clinical isolates B and C were generally more adherent and more hydrophobic than the standard strain ATCC 13709. There was no direct correlation between hydrophobicity of isolates and their adherence to biomedical materials and glass in this work.