Studies on the implication of surface hydrophobicity in the adherence of Neisseria meningitidis to buccal epithelial cells.

The study of surface hydrophobicity and adherence to human buccal epithelial cells of four Neisseria meningitidis strains and the correlation analysis of the data obtained for both parameters has demonstrated that hydrophobicity of meningococci is not a causative factor in adherence in normal conditions. Modification of the bacterial surfaces (by freezing, heating, ultraviolet irradiation, fixation with glutaraldehyde or sodium metaperiodate cleavage of external sugars) induced significant changes in one or both parameters, but these changes were not correlative in both properties. In contrast to other bacteria, the hydrophobicity levels shown by our meningococci are not relevant to their adherent processes.