Adhesion Kinetics and Biofilm Formation of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> on Face Mask Fibers

Abstract

The widespread use of face masks, along with the various textiles used in their manufacture, has raised increasing concerns regarding the risk of bacterial contamination and transmission of infection. This form of contamination begins with the adhesion of microorganisms to mask surfaces and may progress to biofilm formation. However, results on the kinetics of microbial adhesion and biofilm development remain scarce, and information enabling the determination of optimal wearing times specific to each mask type is limited. This study investigated the adhesion kinetics of Staphylococcus aureus on four types of masks (FFP2, surgical, cloth, and disposable protective masks) over 4 h and evaluated biofilm formation after 24 h. Bacterial adhesion increased for all masks, ranging from 4.2 to 6.1 log 10 CFU/cm 2 for surgical masks, 5.41–6.54 log 10 CFU/cm 2 for cloth masks, 4.1–6.15 log 10 CFU/cm 2 for disposable protective masks, and 5.55–6.33 log 10 CFU/cm 2 for FFP2 masks. Biofilm accumulation was highest on cloth masks (7.68 log 10 CFU/cm 2 ) and lowest on FFP2 masks (6.71 log 10 CFU/cm 2 ). These findings highlight the differences in bacterial colonization potential among mask types and provide a basis for developing guidelines on the selection and use of textile materials in healthcare environments.