TY - JOUR
T1 - Implants induce a new niche for microbiomes
AU - Jakobsen, Tim H.
AU - Eickhardt, Steffen R.
AU - Gheorghe, Alexandra G.
AU - Stenqvist, Charlotte
AU - Sønderholm, Majken
AU - Stavnsberg, Camilla
AU - Jensen, Peter
AU - Odgaard, Anders
AU - Whiteley, Marvin
AU - Moser, Claus
AU - Hvolris, Jesper
AU - Hougen, Hans Petter
AU - Bjarnsholt, Thomas
PY - 2018/8/1
Y1 - 2018/8/1
N2 - Although much work is being done to develop new treatments, research and knowledge regarding factors underlying implant-related microbial colonization leading to infection are less comprehensive. Presence of microorganisms in and around implants clinically characterized as uninfected remains unknown. The objective of this study was to detect and identify bacteria and fungi on implants from various groups of patients with no prior indications of implant related infections. Patient samples (implants and tissue) were collected from five different hospitals in the Capital region of Denmark. By in-depth microbiological detection methods, we examined the prevalence of bacteria and fungi on 106 clinically uninfected implants from four patient groups (aseptic loosening, healed fractures, craniofacial complications and recently deceased). Of 106 clinically uninfected implants and 39 negative controls investigated, 66% were colonized by bacteria and 40% were colonized by fungi (p < 0.0001 compared to negative controls). A large number of microbes were found to colonize the implants, however, the most prevalent microbes present were not common aetiological agents of implant infections. The findings indicate that implants provide a distinct niche for microbial colonization. These data have broad implications for medical implant recipients, as well as for supporting the idea that the presence of foreign objects in the body alters the human microbiome by providing new colonization niches.
AB - Although much work is being done to develop new treatments, research and knowledge regarding factors underlying implant-related microbial colonization leading to infection are less comprehensive. Presence of microorganisms in and around implants clinically characterized as uninfected remains unknown. The objective of this study was to detect and identify bacteria and fungi on implants from various groups of patients with no prior indications of implant related infections. Patient samples (implants and tissue) were collected from five different hospitals in the Capital region of Denmark. By in-depth microbiological detection methods, we examined the prevalence of bacteria and fungi on 106 clinically uninfected implants from four patient groups (aseptic loosening, healed fractures, craniofacial complications and recently deceased). Of 106 clinically uninfected implants and 39 negative controls investigated, 66% were colonized by bacteria and 40% were colonized by fungi (p < 0.0001 compared to negative controls). A large number of microbes were found to colonize the implants, however, the most prevalent microbes present were not common aetiological agents of implant infections. The findings indicate that implants provide a distinct niche for microbial colonization. These data have broad implications for medical implant recipients, as well as for supporting the idea that the presence of foreign objects in the body alters the human microbiome by providing new colonization niches.
KW - foreign bodies
KW - Implants
KW - microbes
KW - microbiome
KW - non-pathogenic colonization
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85050485360&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/apm.12862
DO - 10.1111/apm.12862
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 29962006
AN - SCOPUS:85050485360
SN - 0903-4641
VL - 126
SP - 685
EP - 692
JO - APMIS - Journal of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology
JF - APMIS - Journal of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology
IS - 8
ER -