No relationship between the cell surface hydrophobicity of coagulase-negative staphylococci and their ability to adhere onto fluorinated poly(ethylene-propylene)

The cell surface hydrophobicity of 14 encapsulated and 21 non-encapsulated coagulase-negative staphylococci (CN staph) as determined with the salt aggregation test (SAT) as well as with the xylene-water method ranged widely. Non-encapsulated strains adhered well onto fluorinated poly(ethylene-propylene) (FEP), irrespective of the hydrophobicity of the cell surface. The ability of the encapsulated strains to adhere onto FEP differed also considerably, but no correlation between the number of adherent bacteria and the cell surface hydrophobicity was observed.