JAC Advance Access originally published online on January 6, 2003
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Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (2003) 51, 401-404
© 2003 The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
Effect of ciprofloxacin on adhesive properties of non-P mannose-resistant uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolates
Department of Microbiology, Rosario University School of Biochemistry and Pharmacy, and Institute for Molecular and Cellular Biology (IBR-CONICET), Suipacha 531, Rosario 2000, Argentina
Received 22 March 2002; returned 13 August 2002; revised 3 October 2002. accepted 18 October 2002
The influence of sub-MIC of ciprofloxacin on the surface properties of 25 non-P mannose-resistant uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) strains was studied. Thirteen isolates responded to antibiotic treatment with an increase in haemagglutination titre and/or surface hydrophobicity, which correlated with a higher expression of surface proteins. Only UPEC strains with ciprofloxacin-enhanced hydrophobicity increased their adhesiveness to urinary catheters that correlated, in one analysed case, with a dramatic increase in the number of fimbriae peripherally located. The overall results indicate that sub-MICs of ciprofloxacin could increase the adhesiveness, and hence the risk of colonization by UPEC strains expressing mannose-resistant adhesins different from type P.
* Corresponding author. Tel: +54-341-435-3377; Fax: +54-341-480-4601; E-mail: rrgrau{at}infovia.com.ar