Shear-Resistant Binding to von Willebrand Factor Allows Staphylococcus lugdunensis to Adhere to the Cardiac Valves and Initiate Endocarditis

Conclusions. S. lugdunensis binds directly to VWF, which proved to be vital for withstanding shear forces and for its adhesion to the vessel wall and cardiac valves. This mechanism explains why S. lugdunensis causes more-aggressive infections, including endocarditis, compared with other coagulase-negative staphylococci.

Source: The Journal of Infectious Diseases - March 5, 2016 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Liesenborghs, L., Peetermans, M., Claes, J., Veloso, T. R., Vandenbriele, C., Criel, M., Lox, M., Peetermans, W. E., Heilbronner, S., de Groot, P. G., Vanassche, T., Hoylaerts, M. F., Verhamme, P. Tags: BACTERIA Source Type: research