Effect of Incubation Time on the Biofilm Formation by Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) refers to a group of gram-positive bacteria that are genetically distinct from other strains of Staphylococcus aureus that has developed, through horizontal gene transfer, natural selection and multiple drug resistance to beta lactam antibiotics and thus causing many severe diseases which are very problematic to treat as they are resistant to different antibiotics. The above situation is further aggravated by the formation of biofilms which are structured aggregation of surface attached microbes encased in an extracellular matrix. Thus, the time required to develop biofilms becomes an important point to study.

In the present study, detection of the extent of biofilm formation by MRSA isolates, was performed using the Microtitre Plate Assay. The test was performed in triplicates and was continued for a time period of 7 days to detect the extent of biofilm formation with increase in incubation interval.

On comparing the biofilm forming ability of different isolates from Day 1 to Day 7, it could be clearly observed that the biofilm forming capacity of isolates gradually increased with increase in incubation time and most of the isolates became strong biofilm producers from Day 4.