Inhibition of human neutrophil bacteriocidal activity by extracellular substance from slime-producing Staphylococcus epidermidis.

The role of slime produced by Staphylococcus epidermidis as a virulence factor has been investigated by preincubating human neutrophils in fractions of extracellular material from cultures of slime-producing and non-slime-producing S. epidermidis. Extracellular product (molecular weight greater than 300,000) from slime-producing S. epidermidis did not affect neutrophil phagocytosis but did produce a generalized loss of bacteriocidal activity which was not found with non-slime-producing S. epidermidis, or broth.