Screening of genes encoding adhesion factors and biofilm formation in Staphylococcus aureus isolates from poultry

Staphylococcus aureus isolates recovered from poultry between 1970 and 1972 (90 old isolates) and in 2006 (81 recent isolates) were screened for the presence of bap, icaA and icaD genes associated with biofilm formation, and for bbp, cna, ebpS, eno, fib, fnbA, fnbB, clfA and clfB genes that encode microbial surface components recognizing adhesive matrix molecules (MSCRAMMs). Most of the old isolates were collected from broiler breeders affected by staphylococcal tenosynovitis and arthritis, whilst nearly all recent isolates were derived from the nose and cloaca of healthy broilers. Ten recent isolates belonged to the animal-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) ST398. All isolates were positive for clfA, clfB, eno and fnbA, and were negative for bap and bbp. All recent isolates were also positive for ebpS and cna, and all old isolates were positive for fib. The average number of genes encoding adhesins and biofilm-associated proteins in both groups was eight per isolate. All MRSA ST398 isolate...