Efecto de los factores solubles de Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus capitis y Staphylococcus epidermidis sobre la funcionalidad espermática / Effect of soluble factors of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus capitis and Staphylococcus epidermidis on sperm functionality

ANTECEDENTES: La interacción entre los espermatozoides con algunas especies bacterianas o sus factores solubles influyen en el deterioro de la calidad seminal, alterando la función reproductiva del hombre. OBJETIVO: El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar el efecto de los factores solubles de Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus capitis y Staphylococcus epidermidis sobre la calidad seminal. MÉTODO: Los factores solubles producto del metabolismo bacteriano de las cepas de S. aureus y S. Capitis sensible a oxacilina y S. aureus y S. Epidermidis resistente a oxacilina se incubaron con las muestras de semen de 20 voluntarios y se cuantificaron los parámetros seminales convencionales y funcionales por microscopía y citometría de flujo, respectivamente. RESULTADOS: Se observó una disminución en la movilidad espermática con los factores solubles de S. aureus, esta disminución fue mayor con la cepa sensible y el efecto negativo sobre la movilidad fue inmediato. Al incubar los espermatozoides con los factores solubles de S. aureus sensible a oxacilina, se afectaron todos los parámetros funcionales excepto la integridad de la cromatina y se observó menor liberación de especies reactivas de oxígeno; con los factores solubles de la cepa de S. aureus resistente a oxacilina se observó una disminución en la lipoperoxidación de membrana y en la expresión de anexina V. CONCLUSIÓN: Este estudio da cuenta del efecto negativo de los factores solubles de la bacteria S. aureus tanto sensible como resistente a oxacilina sobre los parámetros espermáticos convencionales y funcionales, y por ende en su función reproductiva.

BACKGROUND: The interaction between sperm with some bacteria species and their soluble factors are the deterioration of semen quality by altering the reproductive function of man. AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of soluble factors Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus capitis on semen quality. METHODS: The soluble factors product of bacterial metabolism of the strains of S. aureus and S. capitis methicillin sensitive and S. aureus and S. epidermidis resistant to oxacillin, were incubated with semen samples from 20 volunteers. Subsequently, conventional seminal parameters were measured and functional quantified by microscopy and flow cytometry, respectively. RESULTS: A decrease was observed in sperm motility with soluble factors of S. aureus, this decrease was higher with the sensitive strain that with oxacillin resistant strain and the negative effect on motility was immediate. By incubating the sperm with soluble factor from oxacillin-sensitive S. aureus, all functional parameters were affected except the chromatin integrity and reduced release of reactive oxygen species, mean fluorescence intensity in oxacillin resistant S. aureus strain was decrease in membrane lipid peroxidation and annexin V expression. CONCLUSIONS: This study reports the negative effect of soluble factors of bacteria either S. aureus sensitive and resistant to oxacillin, over conventional and functional sperm parameters, and therefore in their reproductive function.

Ultrastructural analysis of slime positive & slime negative Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates in infectious keratitis.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Slime is a major determinant of Staphylococcus epidermidis adherence.The established methods of laboratory detection of slime production by this organism i.e., Christensen's tube method and congo red agar plate method, can both yield inconclusive and/or intermediate results. We, therefore tried to find out electronmicroscopically the localization of slime in relation to the bacterial cell wall and look for the effect, if any of the slime location on the staphylococcal adherence as well as on the quantum of slime production. METHODS: A total of 132 coagulase negative staphylococci from cases of infectious keratitis were identified as S. epidermidis following the recommended protocol. Slime was detected both by Christensen's tube method and congo red agar plate method. Antibiotic sensitivity testing was performed by standardized disc diffusion method. Adherence of the organisms to artificial surfaces was determined by a quantitative method and transmission electron microscopy was carried out by the conventional techniques. RESULTS: Of the total 132 isolates, 57 (43.2%) were slime positive and 75 (56.8%) were slime negative.Twenty seven (47.4%) of the 57 slime producing organisms were multi drug resistant as compared to only 12 (16%) of 75 nonslime-producing organisms (P<0.001). A majority i.e., 45 (78.9%) of 57 adherent organisms were slime producers as against 12 (16%) of 75 nonadherent organisms. Electron microscopic study revealed a thick viscid layer of slime anchoring to the bacterial cell wall, especially in adherent organisms and those yielding positive slime test. Some of the organisms showed loose nonadherent slime and those were mostly nonadherent to artificial surfaces. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Slime and multi drug resistance were the important virulence factors of S. epidermidis in bacterial keratitis. It was the adherent slime (i.e., slime in intimate association with the bacterial cell wall as shown by electron microscopy) only, which was responsible for resistance to multiple antibiotics and for the adhesion phenomenon observed in the quantitative slime test.

Effect of various microbial preparations on P-388 mouse lymphocytic leukemia

Four bacteria-derived immunopotentiators were tested for their protective effect on a P-388 mouse lymphocytic leukemia model. The microbial test products were prepared from the following bacterial strains: ATCC 35983 Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from a patient with IV catheter; ATCC 31874, a patented strain listed as Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from the urine of a cancer patient; ATCC 25615 Staphylococcus hominis obtained from a child with lymphocytic leukemia, and ATCC 25614 Staphylococcus warneri, an isolate from a patient with adenocarcinoma of the breast. A limited degree of protection and prolongation in survival time was observed in the animal group treated with the bacterial strain ATCC 31874