PNNL

Abstract

Atomic force microscopy was used to “fish” for binding reactions between a fibronectin-coated probe (i.e., substrate simulating an implant device) and each of 15 different strains of S. aureus isolated from either patients with infected cardiac prosthesis (invasive group) or healthy human subjects (control group). There is a strong distinction (p=0.01) in the binding force-signature observed for the invasive vs. control populations. This observation suggests that a microorganism’s “force taxonomy” may provide a fundamental and practical indicator of the risk that bacterial infections pose to patients with implanted medical devices.