A Study of Slime-Positive Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) have been involved in medical device and catheter-associated sepsis. Extracellular slime produced by CNS has been implicated as an important factor of pathogenicity. The current investigation involved perfection of a technique for separating slime from the bacterial cell and concentration of it. S. epidermidis was determined in a virulence study to be avirulent to Swiss webster mice with no implanted medical device. Humoral immunity to CNS slime was studied and it was found that New Zealand white rabbits were unable to mount an antibody response to slime. A slime quantitation procedure was developed that utilizes spectroscopy. The effect of glucose concentration was evaluated, and it was determined that slime-positive CNS produced more slime in a glucose supplemented medium than did slime-negative organisms. Maxium slime production occurred in media containing 0.1 to 0.8 percent glucose. Adherence of the slime film to only one-half of the growth culture tube was noted. Finally, a study of clindamycin as a mediator of slime production indicated that clindamycin was not involved at the concentrations utilized.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Biology

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biology

Year

1986

Author dc:creator

• Heuertz, Rita Marie

Contributors dc:contributor

• Richard Myers

• Biology

Statement dc:rights

• © Rita Marie Heuertz

Repository record dc:identifier

https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/141

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:bearworks.missouristate.edu:theses-1142