Bacterial survival and biofilm formation on conventional and antibacterial toothbrushes

Biofilms ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. L. Sammons ◽  
D. Kaur ◽  
P. Neal

The aim of this study was to investigate bacterial survival and biofilm formation on toothbrushes. Fifteen healthy volunteers each used a normal toothbrush and an antibacterial toothbrush of the same design for two separate 5 week periods. Bacteria were removed from the brush head by swabbing and mechanical agitation in 10ml of tryptone soya broth, cultured aerobically on selective and non-selective media, and classified by Gram staining, catalase and oxidase tests. Survival of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was monitored in the laboratory on both types of brush over 8 days. Scanning electron microscopy was used to observe biofilm formation on antibacterial and conventional brushes used for various times. Numbers of bacteria isolated from conventional and antibacterial brushes from different individuals ranged from 8.3×103 to 4.7×106 and from 1×102 to 1.2×106 colony-forming units/ml, respectively. A larger number of bacteria were isolated from conventional brushes than from antibacterial brushes used by the same individuals but no statistically significant difference was demonstrated. No differences in the relative proportions of Gram-negative and Gram-positive rods or cocci were seen. Staphylococci, presumptive coliforms and pseudomonads were isolated from 48%, 28% and 16% of brushes, respectively. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was viable for at least 4 days on conventional, and 2–3 days on antibacterial, brushes, whilst S. epidermidis survived for 6–8 days on antibacterial and more than 8 days on conventional brushes. Biofilms formed on the heads and bristles of both conventional and antibacterial brushes. Extensive, mixed community biofilms developed after several months of use. We conclude that toothbrushes may be a reservoir of opportunistic pathogens including staphylococci and pseudomonad-like organisms and must be considered as a potential source of haematogenous infections and cross-infection.

Open Medicine ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Greta Mikucionyte ◽  
Asta Dambrauskiene ◽  
Erika Skrodeniene ◽  
Astra Vitkauskiene

AbstractPseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is one of the most important opportunistic pathogens. The pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa has been associated with multiple bacterial virulence factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between P. aeruginosa strains obtained from various clinical samples and resistance to antibiotics and pathogenicity factors, such as resistance to serum bactericidal activity and biofilm formation. This study included 121 P. aeruginosa strains isolated from clinical samples; 65 of the isolated P. aeruginosa strains were carbapenem-resistant, and 56 were carbapenem-sensitive. Carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa strains were more often resistant to the majority of tested antibiotics, compared to carbapenem-sensitive strains. We did not find any statistically significant difference between resistance to carbapenems and serum resistance and ability of tested P. aeruginosa strains to produce biofilms. Carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa strains were recovered from the urinary tract significantly more often (75.0%) than carbapenem-sensitive P. aeruginosa strains (25.0%). Carbapenem-sensitive P. aeruginosa strains were recovered significantly more often from the respiratory tract than carbapenem-resistant strains, 60.0% and 40.0%, respectively. All the P. aeruginosa strains recovered from blood were serum-resistant. P. aeruginosa strains recovered from the respiratory tract and wounds were significantly frequently serum sensitive, 95.6% and 56.6%, respectively. We did not find any differences in biofilm production among the P. aeruginosa strains recovered from different sources.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (01) ◽  
pp. 5218
Author(s):  
Laxmi Mohandas ◽  
Anju T. R. ◽  
Sarita G. Bhat*

An assortment of redox-active phenazine compounds like pyocyanin with their characteristic blue-green colour are synthesized by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Gram-negative opportunistic pathogens, which are also considered one of the most commercially valuable microorganisms. In this study, pyocyanin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa BTRY1 from food sample was assessed for its antibiofilm activity by micro titer plate assay against strong biofilm producers belonging to the genera Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Brevibacterium and Micrococcus. Pyocyanin inhibited biofilm activity in very minute concentrations. This was also confirmed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM). Both SEM and CLSM helped to visualize the biocontrol of biofilm formation by eight pathogens. The imaging and quantification by CLSM also established the impact of pyocyanin on biofilm-biocontrol mainly in the food industry.


2010 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 340-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kalimuthu Kalishwaralal ◽  
Selvaraj BarathManiKanth ◽  
Sureshbabu Ram Kumar Pandian ◽  
Venkataraman Deepak ◽  
Sangiliyandi Gurunathan

Author(s):  
Giancarlo A. Cuadra ◽  
Maxwell T. Smith ◽  
John M. Nelson ◽  
Emma K. Loh ◽  
Dominic L. Palazzolo

Background: The use of electronic cigarettes (ECIG) has become very common. Consequently, critical analysis of the biological effects of ECIG aerosol deserves attention. Flavorless ECIG aerosol is known to comprise fewer harmful constituents than cigarette smoke. Therefore, we hypothesize that aerosol has less immediate effect on the viability of oral commensal streptococci than smoke. Methods: Survival and growth of four strains of commensal streptococci were measured after exposure to flavorless ECIG aerosol ± nicotine and smoke. Peristaltic pumps were used to transport aerosol or smoke into chambers containing recently seeded colony-forming units (CFUs) of the oral commensal streptococci on agar plates. Bacterial survival and growth, based on colony counts and sizes, were determined 24 h post-exposure. Additionally, aerosol or smoke were delivered into chambers containing pre-adhered streptococci to plastic coverslips and biofilm formation was determined 24 h post-exposure via scanning electron microscopy. Results: The results suggest that flavorless aerosol ± nicotine has a modest effect on bacterial growth both as colonies on agar and as biofilms. In contrast, smoke dramatically decreased bacterial survival and growth in all parameters measured. Conclusion: Unlike cigarette smoke, flavorless ECIG aerosol has only a small effect on the survival and growth of oral commensal streptococci.


Microbiology ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 156 (5) ◽  
pp. 1476-1486 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucy J. Holcombe ◽  
Gordon McAlester ◽  
Carol A. Munro ◽  
Brice Enjalbert ◽  
Alistair J. P. Brown ◽  
...  

Signal-mediated interactions between the human opportunistic pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans affect virulence traits in both organisms. Phenotypic studies revealed that bacterial supernatant from four P. aeruginosa strains strongly reduced the ability of C. albicans to form biofilms on silicone. This was largely a consequence of inhibition of biofilm maturation, a phenomenon also observed with supernatant prepared from non-clinical bacterial species. The effects of supernatant on biofilm formation were not mediated via interference with the yeast–hyphal morphological switch and occurred regardless of the level of homoserine lactone (HSL) produced, indicating that the effect is HSL-independent. A transcriptome analysis to dissect the effects of the P. aeruginosa supernatants on gene expression in the early stages of C. albicans biofilm formation identified 238 genes that exhibited reproducible changes in expression in response to all four supernatants. In particular, there was a strong increase in the expression of genes related to drug or toxin efflux and a decrease in expression of genes associated with adhesion and biofilm formation. Furthermore, expression of YWP1, which encodes a protein known to inhibit biofilm formation, was significantly increased. Biofilm formation is a key aspect of C. albicans infections, therefore the capacity of P. aeruginosa to antagonize this has clear biomedical implications.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mayron Alves Vasconcelos ◽  
Francisco Vassiliepe Sousa Arruda ◽  
Victor Alves Carneiro ◽  
Helton Colares Silva ◽  
Kyria Santiago Nascimento ◽  
...  

This study aimed to evaluate the abilities of plant and algae lectins to inhibit planktonic growth and biofilm formation in bacteria and yeasts. Initially, ten lectins were tested onStaphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella oxytoca, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, andC. tropicalisat concentrations of 31.25 to 250 μg/mL. The lectins fromCratylia floribunda(CFL),Vatairea macrocarpa(VML),Bauhinia bauhinioides(BBL),Bryothamnion seaforthii(BSL), andHypnea musciformis(HML) showed activities against at least one microorganism. Biofilm formation in the presence of the lectins was also evaluated; after 24 h of incubation with the lectins, the biofilms were analyzed by quantifying the biomass (by crystal violet staining) and by enumerating the viable cells (colony-forming units). The lectins reduced the biofilm biomass and/or the number of viable cells to differing degrees depending on the microorganism tested, demonstrating the different characteristics of the lectins. These findings indicate that the lectins tested in this study may be natural alternative antimicrobial agents; however, further studies are required to better elucidate the functional use of these proteins.


Author(s):  
M. V. Kuznetsova ◽  
◽  
М. G. Маммаеvа ◽  
L. V. Кirichenko ◽  
M. A. Shishkin ◽  
...  

The diversity of microbial communities the artificial salt constructions (ASC) located in the medicalpreventive and sanatorium institutions of the Perm region was studied. It was found that the surfaces of the abiotic salt of all ASC were contaminated with microorganisms, and a significant difference was found between the constructions of sylvinite (86.5% of positive samples) and halite (47.4%). The number of viable bacteria, as well as staphylococci, were also higher in sylvinite constructions than in halite ones. Based on bacteriological research and analysis of the 16S rRNA gene nucleotide sequences, the isolated staphylococcus strains belong to the following species: Staphylococcus epidermidis – 42.3% (n=11), S. aureus and S. saprophyticus – 19.2% (n=5), S. simulans – 7.7% (n=2) and one strain of S. cohnii urealyticum, S. hominis, S. warneri – 3.8%. The species composition of microbiocenoses formed on surfaces determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry included representatives of 18 genera belonging to the three main phylums: Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. Actinobacteria (Actinomyces, Corynebacterium, Nocardia, Propionibacterium, Rhodococcus, etc.) were dominant in both groups ASC. Among Firmicutes, representatives of the genus Clostridium predominated in sylvinite ASC – 63.8% of the total number of bacteria, while in halite they were half as many – 32.1%. The content of coccal microbiota, in contrast, in halite constructions was almost 3 times higher than in sylvinite. Identified quantitative and qualitative indicators of the microbiota of the ASC complement the understanding of the constructions of microbial communities under conditions of high salt load and anthropogenic impact.


2016 ◽  
Vol 145 (3) ◽  
pp. 600-606 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. H. V. PEREIRA ◽  
R. S. LEÃO ◽  
A. P. CARVALHO-ASSEF ◽  
R. M. ALBANO ◽  
E. R. A. RODRIGUES ◽  
...  

SUMMARYAchromobacter spp. are opportunistic pathogens increasingly recovered from adult patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). We report the characterization of 122 Achromobacter spp. isolates recovered from 39 CF patients by multilocus sequence typing, virulence traits, and susceptibility to antimicrobials. Two species, A. xylosoxidans (77%) and A. ruhlandii (23%) were identified. All isolates showed a similar biofilm formation ability, and a positive swimming phenotype. By contrast, 4·3% and 44·4% of A. xylosoxidans and A. ruhlandii, respectively, exhibited a negative swarming phenotype, making the swimming and swarming abilities of A. xylosoxidans significantly higher than those of A. ruhlandii. A. xylosoxidans isolates from an outbreak clone also exhibited significantly higher motility. Both species were generally susceptible to ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, imipenem and trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole and there was no significant difference in susceptibility between isolates from chronic or sporadic infection. However, A. xylosoxidans isolates from chronic and sporadic cases were significantly more resistant to imipenem and ceftazidime than isolates of the outbreak clone.


2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 73-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jefferson Twomley ◽  
Yapin Wang ◽  
Zezhang Wen ◽  
Qingzhao Yu ◽  
Richard Ballard ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Objective: The objective of this study was to formulate experimental orthodontic bracket adhesives and test their mechanical properties, fluoride release and antibacterial activity. Methods: Four experimental antibacterial orthodontic bracket adhesives were prepared with different compositions of synthesized antibacterial monomers replacing total 5% of dental monomers in the control Transbond XT (3M): 5%C11, 3.5%C11+1.5%C2, 5%C16, and 3.5%C16+1.5%C2. Transbond XT alone was used as control. These groups were used to bond premolar brackets to extracted premolars. Shear bond strength (SBS) was tested using an Instron machine. For antibacterial test, disk specimens (10mm diameter, 1mm thick, n=4) were fabricated and incubated with cultures of cariogenic Streptococcus mutans for 48h, and following gentle sonication, S. mutans biofilms in colony-forming-units (CFU) on the disks were enumerated by plating on agar medium. The data were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey test (α=0.05). Results: All experimental groups had similar shear bond strength (no significant difference) to the control. All experimental groups showed significant inhibitory effect against S. mutans biofilm formation, when compared to the control, but there was no significant difference between experimental groups. Conclusion: Antibacterial orthodontic adhesive can be fabricated to have similar mechanical properties but better caries-inhibitory effect than current adhesive.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 262-269
Author(s):  
M. A. Garga ◽  
U. M. Garasin ◽  
M. Abdullahi ◽  
B. A. Muhammed ◽  
A. Yakubu ◽  
...  

The aim of this research is to investigate the antibacterial activity and identify the phytochemical constituents of Mangifera indica leafs on Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus using disc diffusion method. The sample was collected fresh from the premises of Bioresources Development Center (BIODEC), Katsina, Katsina State and was dried and pounded into powder. The powdered leaves were extracted using ethanol and aqueous solvents. Various concentrations ranging from 500mg to 62.5mg were prepared. Test isolates were obtained from the Microbiology laboratory, Umaru Musa Yar’adua University Katsina (UMYUK) and were further authenticated using Gram staining and biochemical test. The bacterial inoculums were standardized to McFarland scale 0.5. Zones of inhibition were read after 24 hours at 370C. The results of the antibacterial study revealed that the ethanolic leaves extracts at 500mg/ml had effect on P. aeruginosa and S. aureus with zones of inhibition of 12mm and 6mm respectively. The results of the phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, saponins, alkaloids and phenols where only alkaloids was found to be absent in the aqueous extract. There is no significant difference between the solvents and various concentrations used base on t-test data analysis.


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