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Prevalence of cna, fnbA and fnbB adhesin genes among Staphylococcus aureus isolates from orthopedic infections associated to different types of implant.

Arciola CR, Campoccia D, Gamberini S, Baldassarri L, Montanaro L

Research Unit on Implant Infections, Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute, Via di Barbiano 1/10, 40136 Bologna, Italy. carlarenata.arciola@ior.it

Here are reported data on virulence determinants of Staphylococcus aureus from orthopedic surgical infections, emphasizing on the genes encoding fibronectin (fnbA, fnbB) and collagen (cna) adhesins. 191 S. aureus strains from orthopedic infections (53 from internal fixation devices, 29 external fixation devices, 15 knee arthroprostheses, 30 hip arthroprostheses, 45 surgical reconstruction and 19 non-associated to medical devices) were investigated for the presence of the genes of the collagen-binding protein Cna and of the two fibronectin-binding proteins, FnbA and FnbB. 87 (46%) strains were found to be cna+ without significant variations across the different surgical categories considered. Conversely, the fnbA and the fnbB genes were almost always present in all surgical categories. The finding that, among the investigated adhesins, fibronectin-adhesins are present in the majority of the implant associated S. aureus clinical isolates encourages the development of strategies to specifically block the interaction of bacteria with matrix fibronectin by antagonist ligands.

Published 4 May 2005 in FEMS Microbiol Lett, 246(1): 81-6.
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