From Surface to Infection: Biofilm Formation of Coagulase Negative Staphylococci

Biofilm formation by Coagulase Negative Staphylococci (CoNS) represents a critical challenge in device-associated infections, often leading to treatment failures. While Staphylococcus epidermidis has been extensively studied, the biofilm-forming potential of other CoNS species remains underexplored. This study analysed 152 isolates belonging to 11 CoNS species obtained from individuals with infections, with the aim of assessing interspecies variability in biofilm formation and its potential clinical implications.

The 152 isolates were evaluated for their capacity to form biofilms using the microtiter biofilm assay. Statistical analyses were conducted to ascertain associations between biofilm formation in the various CoNS species.

The majority of CoNS isolates (64,47%) demonstrated a high capacity for biofilm production, while only 7,24% were classified as non-producers. Despite the variability observed between the isolates, no statistically significant differences were identified in the ability to form biofilms between the different species.

The results obtained in this study offer significant insights into the biofilm forming capacity of CoNS, which may have substantial ramifications for the formulation of novel therapeutic strategies aimed at mitigating biofilm formation and, by extension, the reduction in the prevalence of infections within hospital environments.

Acknowledgements: This work was supported by project UIDB/00772/2020 funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). This work was also supported by LAQV-REQUIMTE, which is financed by national funds from FCT/MCTES (UIDB/50006/2020 and UIDP/50006/2020).