EN
The aim of this study was the investigation of adhesion of 88 S. aureus clinical isolates to collagen. The experiments were extended to determine the influence of growth temperature on collagen adhesin - collagen interaction. Bacterial adhesion to collagen was estimated by using immunoenzymatic assay at absorbance of 492 nm and compared with standard curves obtained for 8 different densities of each strain. The amount of collagen adhesin was indicated by colour reaction intensity measured by immunoenzymatic assay. Hydrophobicity of S. aureus strains was measured by aggregation in (NH4)2SO4 test. Almost all S. aureus strains isolated from bone and joint infections adhered to collagen whereas only a part of soft tissue infections isolates showed this feature. The comparison of adhesive properties of S. aureus cells cultured at 21ºC, 37°C and 42°'C did not make it possible to indicate the optimal culture temperature for S. aureus adhesion to collagen. However, the intensive colour reaction of cells cultured at 37°C with anti-collagen adhesin antibodies proves the production of the highest amount of this adhesin under the mentioned conditions. The influence of growth temperature as well as solid and/or liquid medium on the change of S. aureus hydrophobic properties was not observed. The obtained results show that the S- aureus growth temperature can be one of the factors influencing the staphylococci cells adhesion to collagen.