Study says bacteria adhesion does not depend on contact area size

A recent Saarland University study has found that Staphylococcus aureus bacteria adhesion does not depend on contact area size, according to an article on the Infection Control Today website.

This is key to infection control because in order to be able to influence biofilm growth, scientists need to understand how the bacteria adhere to surfaces.

The researchers were also able to demonstrate that despite their spherical shape, the bacteria cannot be described simply as hard spheres when they interact with a surface, the article said. 

They are actually balls covered with a soft, shaggy and uneven coating of cell wall proteins. This coat helps determine the adhesion between the cell and the surface.

Read the article.