The Pathogenic Role of<i>Staphylococcus epidermidis</i>Capsular Polysaccharide/Adhesin in a Low-Inoculum Rabbit Model of Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis

Abstract

Direct contamination of an intraventricular foreign body by low levels of PS/A-positive S epidermidis results in endocarditis in rabbits, but at suitably high doses PS/A-negative strains have sufficient virulence to infect cardiac vegetations. PS/A enhances but is not absolutely required for bacterial virulence in a rabbit model of PVE.