Role of the accessory gene regulator (agr) in pathogenesis of staphylococcal osteomyelitis.

AUTOR(ES)
RESUMO

To examine the role of the accessory gene regulator (agr) in staphylococcal osteomyelitis, we compared a Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis isolate (UAMS-1) with a derivative of the same strain (UAMS-4) carrying an inactivated agr locus. Virulence was assessed with a rabbit model of acute, exogenous osteomyelitis. Bacteria were delivered by microinjection into the midradial region of the forelimb. After 4 weeks, UAMS-1 was identified in the bone of 12 of 13 rabbits infected with > or = 2 x 10(6) CFU and 5 of 6 infected with < or = 2 x 10(5) CFU. In contrast, UAMS-4 was found in 6 of 13 infected with the higher dose and 1 of 6 infected with the lower dose. Additionally, on the basis of a five-point scale assessing radiographic evidence of disease, rabbits infected with UAMS-1 had average scores of 2.64 +/- 0.30 (high dose) and 1.43 +/- 0.39 (low dose) while rabbits infected with UAMS-4 had average scores of 0.95 +/- 0.23 (high dose) and 0.63 +/- 0.20 (low dose). Uninfected controls had an average score of 0.53 +/- 0.08. The results obtained with UAMS-1 were significantly different from those obtained with UAMS-4 at both doses (P < or = 0.047). The results obtained with UAMS-4 were not significantly different from those obtained with the controls at either dose of UAMS-4 (P > or = 0.150). On the basis of a similar five-point scale assessing histopathological evidence of disease, rabbits infected with UAMS-1 had average scores of 2.31 +/- 0.22 (high dose) and 1.96 +/- 0.36 (low dose) while rabbits infected with UAMS-4 had average scores of 1.58 +/- 0.29 (high dose) and 0.83 +/- 0.32 (low dose). Controls had an average score of 0.33 +/- 0.05. The results obtained with UAMS-1 were significantly different from those obtained with UAMS-4 at both doses (P < or = 0.040). However, the results obtained with UAMS-4 were significantly different from the controls only at the high dose of UAMS-4 (P = 0.025). We conclude that mutation of agr reduces the incidence and severity of disease but does not eliminate the ability to colonize bone and cause histopathological evidence of osteomyelitis.

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

Documentos Relacionados