ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of sub-inhibitory concentrations of cefotaxime on adherence to siliconized latex urinary catheters of uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains from pregnant and non pregnant patients. STUDY DESIGN: Using random sampling, 30 E. coli strains were selected from hospitalized patients with catheter associated urinary tract infection, 12 from pregnant women and 18 from men and non-pregnant women. The strains were categorized on the basis of cefotaxime susceptibility, adhesion and biofilm production capacity, cell surface hydrophobicity and expression of adhesins and fimbriae in vitro. RESULTS: The overall results indicated that sub-inhibitory concentrations of cefotaxime could reduce the adhesiveness, the biofilm production and hence, potentially, the infection rate associated with indwelling urinary catheters. CONCLUSION: Based on our results, we propose that this reduction is due to decreasing exopolysaccharide production and increasing cell surface hydrophobicity of E.coli strains.
