Studio della virulenza di Staphylococcus spp isolati da protesi mammarie

In recent years the use of breast surgery, has undergone an exponential increase, both for aesthetic and reconstructive purposes. The main complication as a result of these interventions is due to the bacterial colonization of the breast implants resulting in infection of the affected site. As a result of the diagnosis of an infection, the only possible therapy involves the removal of the implant followed by antibiotic treatment. The main culprits of such infections are Staphylococcus spp. It was possible to study the pathogenicity of these strains from a genetic point of view by identifying specific virulence genes such as icaA, bhp, kdp, agrD, IS256 and IS257. Moreover, it has been studied their adhesive capacity both on epithelioid Caco2 cells and on all types of prosthetic surfaces, comparing with ATCC control samples. Their ability to produce biofilms was compared with ATCC strains, clinical control samples and skin-isolated specimens of healthy voluntary women has also been studied. The study has made it possible to broaden the knowledge of these particular infections hitherto poorly studied and to lay the basis for future interventions of prevention and advancement in the diagnostic and surgical methods.