ELECTRON MICROSCOPY ON ACINETOBACTER BAUMANNII BIOTYPES 9 AND 8 ISOLATED FROM NOSOCOMIAL
INFECTIONS IN CHILE
Acinetobacter baumannii has emerged in the last years as an important nosocomial agent. Of the nineteen biotypes constituting this species, biotypes 9 and 8 represent aproximately 90% of the isolates in our country. The factors that contribute to it greater virulence and prevalence are at present not known. In this study we have investigated by electronmicroscopy the presence of capsule in two strains of A. baumannii biotypes 9 and 8, isolated from patients during 1995 at the Hospital San Juan de Dios. Ovemight cultures were stained with Alcian blue and incubated with homologous biotype specific antisera. The strains were also studied for the presence of capsule by light microscope and for surface hydrophobicity. Both isolates showed a dense polysaccharide capsular layer electronmicroscopically. The isolates were highly hydrophilic and showed a distinct halo compatible with a capsule by light microscopy. The capsule could confer prevalent isolates greater virulence which could explain it higher prevalence in chilean hospitals.
Martínez T., M. A. ., Muñoz-Astete , C. ., Strozzi V, L. ., & Pinto C, M. E. . (1998). Microscopía electrónica en acinetobacter baumannii biotipos 9 y 8 aislad0s de infecciones intrahospitalarias en Chile. Revista Hospital Clínico Universidad De Chile, 9(2), pp. 84–8. https://doi.org/10.5354/2735-7996.2.80970
