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. 2021 Mar;27(3):880–893. doi: 10.3201/eid2703.200852

Figure 4.

Figure 4

Growth rate of Staphylococcus saprophyticus clonal lineages in tryptic soy broth (TSB) and in different concentrations of female sex hormones. All assays were performed in triplicate and each experiment was repeated 3 times. A) Growth rate of S. saprophyticus strains in different concentrations of progesterone. First panel represents growth rate in TSB at 37°C; isolates belonging to lineage S grew significantly faster (p = 0.0007) than isolates in lineage G in TSB without hormones. However, no statistically significant difference in the growth rate of either lineage was noted in physiologic (2.0–200 ng/mL) and higher concentrations of progesterone. B) Growth rate of S. saprophyticus strains in TSB (first panel) and different concentrations of estradiol. Lineage S isolates grew faster in physiologic concentrations (350 pg/mL–350 ng/mL) and higher of estradiol, suggesting that this lineage is better adapted to the hormone-rich environment of the urine and the vagina than lineage G. Error bars indicate 95% CIs; horizontal lines indicate medians. C) Growth rate mean values of S. saprophyticus strains in progesterone and estradiol.