Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, Vol 39, 603-608, Copyright © 1997 by The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
C Chuard, PE Vaudaux, RA Proctor and DP Lew
The frequency of small colony variants of staphylococci associated with
persistent, antibiotic resistant and relapsing infections is probably
underestimated. These variants demonstrate decreased metabolism, leading to
slow growth, increased resistance to cell-wall-active antibiotics, and
decreased uptake of aminoglycoside antibiotics. This altered phenotype
arises from defects in menadione and haemin biosynthesis resulting in
impaired electron transport and decreased ATP concentrations. The recent
acquisition of a stable small colony variant (SCV strain JB1), generated
from strain 6850 of Staphylococcus aureus, allowed us to study the
susceptibilities to antibiotic killing of parent and variant strains.
Because differences in susceptibilities have been found between unattached
and surface-adherent organisms, we tested both strains in solid and
fluid-phase assays. Suspensions of SCV strain JB1 exposed to 8 x MIC of
either oxacillin, vancomycin or fleroxacin, exhibited lower reductions in
viable counts than the parent strain 6850, especially when high bacterial
concentrations (1-2 x 10(7) cfu/mL) of either strain were tested.
Susceptibility to antibiotic killing of bacteria attached to
fibronectin-coated coverslips was markedly influenced by their growing or
nongrowing state on the surface. In the latter condition, surface-bound SCV
organisms were highly resistant to the bactericidal action of oxacillin or
vancomycin in contrast to the parental strain which was normally eliminated
by each antimicrobial agent. In conclusion, the decreased susceptibility of
the stable SCV strain of S. aureus to bactericidal concentrations of
antibiotics may help to explain the persistence of such organisms in
chronic infections.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Decreased susceptibility to antibiotic killing of a stable small colony variant of Staphylococcus aureus in fluid phase and on fibronectin- coated surfaces
Division of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland.
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