Involvement of Adherence and Adhesion Staphylococcus epidermidis Genes in Pacemaker Lead-Associated Infections

Abstract
We explored three genes of attachment ( fbe and atlE ) and adhesion ( ica ) in 27 and 10 Staphylococcus epidermidis strains involved in pacemaker-related infections (PMI) and intravascular-catheter-related infections (IVCI), respectively, and in 25 saprophytic strains. The detection rates of fbe and atlE were identical in PMI and IVCI strains, but ica detection rates were identical in PMI and saprophytic strains.