scholarly journals Comparison of the Antimicrobial Effects of Chlorine, Silver Ion, and Tobramycin on Biofilm

2008 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 1446-1453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaeeun Kim ◽  
Betsey Pitts ◽  
Philip S. Stewart ◽  
Anne Camper ◽  
Jeyong Yoon

ABSTRACT The systematic understanding of how various antimicrobial agents are involved in controlling biofilms is essential in order to establish an effective strategy for biofilm control, since many antimicrobial agents are effective against planktonic cells but are ineffective when they are used against the same bacteria growing in a biofilm state. Three different antimicrobial agents (chlorine, silver, and tobramycin) and three different methods for the measurement of membrane integrity (plate counts, the measurement of respiratory activity with 5-cyano-2,3-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride [CTC] staining, and BacLight Live/Dead staining) were used along with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and epifluorescence microscopy to examine the activities of the antimicrobials on biofilms in a comparative way. The three methods of determining the activities of the antimicrobials gave very different results for each antimicrobial agent. Among the three antimicrobials, tobramycin appeared to be the most effective in reducing the respiratory activity of biofilm cells, based upon CTC staining. In contrast, tobramycin-treated biofilm cells maintained their membrane integrity better than chlorine- or silver-treated ones, as evidenced by imaging by both CLSM and epifluorescence microscopy. Combined and sequential treatments with silver and tobramycin showed an enhanced antimicrobial efficiency of more than 200%, while the antimicrobial activity of either chlorine or tobramycin was antagonized when the agents were used in combination. This observation makes sense when the different oxidative reactivities of chlorine, silver, and tobramycin are considered.

2009 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
James J. Dynes ◽  
John R. Lawrence ◽  
Darren R. Korber ◽  
George D.W. Swerhone ◽  
Gary G. Leppard ◽  
...  

Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) were used to examine the morphological and biochemical changes in Pseudomonas fluorescens biofilms grown in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of 4 antimicrobial agents: triclosan, benzalkonium chloride, chlorhexidine dihydrochloride, and trisodium phosphate. CLSM analyses using the stains SYTO9 and propidium iodide indicated that the antimicrobial agents affected cell membrane integrity and cellular density to differing degrees. However, fluorescein diacetate assays and plate counts demonstrated that the cells remained metabolically active. Fluorescent lectin binding assays showed that changes in the arrangement and composition of the exopolymer matrix of the biofilms also occurred and that these changes depended on the antimicrobial agent. Detailed single cell analyses using STXM provided evidence that the cell morphology, and the spatial distribution and relative amounts of protein, lipids and polysaccharides in the biofilms and within the cells were different for each antimicrobial. The distribution of chlorhexidine in the biofilm, determined from its distinct spectral signature, was localized mainly inside the bacterial cells. Each antimicrobial agent elicited a unique response; P. fluorescens cells and biofilms changed their morphology and architecture, as well as the distribution and abundance of biomacromolecules, in particular the exopolymer matrix. Pseudomonas fluorescens also exhibited adaptation to benzalkonium chloride at 10 µg/mL. Our observations point to the importance of changes in the quantity and chemistry of the exopolymeric matrix in the response to antimicrobial agents and suggest their importance as targets for control.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ata Aditya Wardana ◽  
Arisa Koga ◽  
Fumina Tanaka ◽  
Fumihiko Tanaka

AbstractA novel composite edible coating film was developed from 0.8% chitosan (CS) and 0.5% sandalwood oil (SEO). Cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) were used as a stabilizer agent of oil-in-water Pickering emulsion. We found four typical groups of CNF level-dependent emulsion stabilization, including (1) unstable emulsion in the absence of CNFs; (2) unstable emulsion (0.006–0.21% CNFs); (3) stable emulsion (0.24–0.31% CNFs); and (4) regular emulsion with the addition of surfactant. Confocal laser scanning microscopy was performed to reveal the characteristics of droplet diameter and morphology. Antifungal tests against Botrytis cinerea and Penicillium digitatum, between emulsion coating stabilized with CNFs (CS-SEOpick) and CS or CS-SEO was tested. The effective concentration of CNFs (0.24%) may improve the performance of CS coating and maintain CS-SEO antifungal activity synergistically confirmed with a series of assays (in vitro, in vivo, and membrane integrity changes). The incorporation of CNFs contributed to improve the functional properties of CS and SEO-loaded CS including light transmission at UV and visible light wavelengths and tensile strength. Atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were employed to characterize the biocompatibility of each coating film formulation. Emulsion-CNF stabilized coating may have potential applications for active coating for fresh fruit commodities.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chelladurai Ajish ◽  
Sungtae Yang ◽  
S. Dinesh Kumar ◽  
Eun Young Kim ◽  
Hye Jung Min ◽  
...  

Abstract Hybridizing two known antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) is a simple and effective strategy for designing antimicrobial agents with enhanced cell selectivity against bacterial cells. Here, we generated a hybrid peptide Lf-KR in which LfcinB6 and KR-12-a4 were linked with a Pro hinge to obtain a novel AMP with potent antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-biofilm activities. Lf-KR exerted superior cell selectivity for bacterial cells over sheep red blood cells. Lf-KR showed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities (MIC: 4–8 mM) against tested 12 bacterial strains and retained its antimicrobial activity in the presence of salts at physiological concentrations. Membrane depolarization and dye leakage assays showed that the enhanced antimicrobial activity of Lf-KR was due to increased permeabilization and depolarization of microbial membranes. Lf-KR significantly inhibited the expression and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (NO and TNF-a) in LPS-stimulated mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells. In addition, Lf-KR showed a powerful eradication effect on preformed multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDRPA) biofilms. We confirmed using confocal laser scanning microscopy that a large portion of the preformed MDRPA biofilm structure was perturbed by the addition of Lf-KR. Collectively, our results suggest that Lf-KR can be an antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-biofilm candidate as a pharmaceutical agent.


Author(s):  
S. N. Sarah Shafiei ◽  
K. Ahmad ◽  
N. F. M. Ikhsan ◽  
S. I. Ismail ◽  
K. Sijam

Abstract Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), a pathogen responsible for rice bacterial leaf blight, produces biofilm to protect viable Xoo cells from antimicrobial agents. A study was conducted to determine the potency of Acacia mangium methanol (AMMH) leaf extract as a Xoo biofilm inhibitor. Four concentrations (3.13, 6.25, 9.38, and 12.5 mg/mL) of AMMH leaf extract were tested for their ability to inhibit Xoo biofilm formation on a 96-well microtiter plate. The results showed that the negative controls had the highest O.D. values from other treatments, indicating the intense formation of biofilm. This was followed by the positive control (Streptomycin sulfate, 0.2 mg/mL) and AMMH leaf extract at concentration 3.13 mg/mL, which showed no significant differences in their O.D. values (1.96 and 1.57, respectively). All other treatments at concentrations of 6.25, 9.38, and 12.5 mg/mL showed no significant differences in their O.D. values (0.91, 0.79, and 0.53, respectively). For inhibition percentages, treatment with concentration 12.5 mg/mL gave the highest result (81.25%) followed by treatment at concentrations 6.25 and 9.38 mg/mL that showed no significant differences in their inhibition percentage (67.75% and 72.23%, respectively). Concentration 3.13 mg/mL resulted in 44.49% of biofilm inhibition and the positive control resulted in 30.75% of biofilm inhibition. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) analysis of Xoo biofilm inhibition and breakdown showed the presence of non-viable Xoo cells and changes in aggregation size due to increase in AMMH leaf extract concentration. Control slides showed the absence of Xoo dead cells.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
María A. da Silva ◽  
José L. Baronetti ◽  
Paulina L. Páez ◽  
María G. Paraje

BackgroundPersister cells (PCs) make up a small fraction of microbial population, can survive lethal concentrations of antimicrobial agents. In recent years, Candida tropicalis has emerged as being a frequent fungal agent of medical devices subject to biofilm infections. However, PCs are still poorly understood.ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the relation of PCs on the redox status in C. tropicalis biofilms exposed to high doses of Amphotericin B (AmB), and alterations in surface topography and the architecture of biofilms.MethodsWe used an experimental model of two different C. tropicalis biofilms exposed to AmB at supra minimum inhibitory concentration (SMIC80), and the intra- and extracellular reactive oxygen species (iROS and eROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and oxidative stress response were studied. Light microscopy (LM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) were also used in conjunction with the image analysis software COMSTAT.ResultsWe demonstrated that biofilms derived from the PC fraction (B2) showed a higher capacity to respond to the stress generated upon AmB treatment, compared with biofilms obtained from planktonic cells. In B2, a lower ROS and RNS accumulation was observed in concordance with higher activation of the antioxidant systems, resulting in an oxidative imbalance of a smaller magnitude compared to B1. LM analysis revealed that the AmB treatment provoked a marked decrease of biomass, showing a loss of cellular aggrupation, with the presence of mostly yeast cells. Moreover, significant structural changes in the biofilm architecture were noted between both biofilms by CLSM—COMSTAT analysis. For B1, the quantitative parameters bio-volume, average micro-colony volume, surface to bio-volume ratio and surface coverage showed reductions upon AmB treatment, whereas increases were observed in roughness coefficient and average diffusion distance. In addition, untreated B2 was substantially smaller than B1, with less biomass and thickness values. The analysis of the above-mentioned parameters also showed changes in B2 upon AmB exposure.ConclusionTo our knowledge, this is the first study that has attempted to correlate PCs of Candida biofilms with alterations in the prooxidant-antioxidant balance and the architecture of the biofilms. The finding of regular and PCs with different cellular stress status may help to solve the puzzle of biofilm resistance, with redox imbalance possibly being an important factor.


1998 ◽  
Vol 37 (4-5) ◽  
pp. 159-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Röske ◽  
K. Röske ◽  
D. Uhlmann

The application of in situ hybridization with group specific oligonucleotide probes detected by epifluorescence microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy was tested to identify spatial gradients in the distribution of bacteria in biofilms of plug flow reactors and in the bottom sediment layer of a drinking water reservoir. The two tubular biofilm reactors were fed with the effluent from a full scale biological wastewater treatment plant to which were added the chlorophenols whole degradation was being investigated. One was operated as a continuous-flow reactor and the other as a sequencing batch reactor. The vertical gradients in the microbial colonization of the sediment were analyzed by means of glass slides exposed to the sediment. In the biofilms of both reactors the beta-Proteobacteria dominated. The Cytophaga-Flavobacterium group and the Gram-positive bacteria were also abundant. Only small amounts of gamma-bacteria could be detected. This is contrary to findings using traditional cultivation methods. Unlike the biofilms in the reactor, the bacterial Aufwuchs on the glass slides in the sediment presented a surprising diversity of morphological types and size classes of bacteria.


2007 ◽  
Vol 70 (6) ◽  
pp. 1379-1385 ◽  
Author(s):  
SHERIASE Q. SANDERS ◽  
DOROTHY H. BOOTHE ◽  
JOSEPH F. FRANK ◽  
JUDY W. ARNOLD

Campylobacter jejuni is the most frequently reported cause of foodborne illness in the United States, but its survival outside the host is poor. The objective of this research was to examine the formation and composition of biofilms by C. jejuni alone and within mixed bacterial populations from the poultry-processing environment. C. jejuni growth was assessed with four media, two temperatures, and two atmospheric conditions to develop culture methods for liquid media that would allow growth within the biofilms. Growth kinetics was followed at four cell densities to determine temporal compatibility within biofilm mixtures. Analysis of the biofilms by confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that C. jejuni formed a biofilm when incubated without other bacteria. The average surface area of stainless steel covered by C. jejuni increased by 50% from 24 to 48 h, remained level to 96 h, and then decreased by 88% by 168 h. C. jejuni and mixed bacterial populations formed biofilms during incubation periods of up to 7 days. The area of the mixture was significantly greater than for C. jejuni alone at 24 h, was approximately the same at 48 h, and was significantly less by 168 h. When incubated with either of two initial inoculum densities of other bacteria, the number of C. jejuni was enhanced after 24 h. The intensity of fluorescence and cell viability were monitored by epifluorescence microscopy. This study provides the basis for studying interactions of Campylobacter spp. with other bacteria in the environment, which will aid in the design of effective intervention strategies.


2003 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 113-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Raizada ◽  
V. Sonakya ◽  
R. Dalhoff ◽  
M. Hausner ◽  
P.A. Wilderer

The microbial ecology of the rumen is very complex. Different species of bacteria, protozoa, and fungi are involved in digestion of plant material in ruminants. In spite of complicated interrelationships among the various groups of microorganisms in the rumen ecosystem, Bacteria and Archaea are believed to play a major role because of their numerical predominance and metabolic diversity. In this work we are presenting the results for microbial population dynamics of rumen microbes during two-stage anaerobic digestion of grass. The reactors were inoculated with fresh rumen content. Fluorescent in situ hybridization, confocal laser scanning microscopy and epifluorescence microscopy were employed for microbial investigation. It was observed that Bacteria dominated in the hydrolytic reactor (1st stage) whereas Archaea were predominant in the methanogenic reactor (2nd stage). The stability of the methanogenic reactor was result of the dominance of Methanosaeta species (mainly the filamentous type).


2009 ◽  
Vol 75 (21) ◽  
pp. 6850-6855 ◽  
Author(s):  
Titik Nuryastuti ◽  
Henny C. van der Mei ◽  
Henk J. Busscher ◽  
Susi Iravati ◽  
Abu T. Aman ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Staphylococcus epidermidis is notorious for its biofilm formation on medical devices, and novel approaches to prevent and kill S. epidermidis biofilms are desired. In this study, the effect of cinnamon oil on planktonic and biofilm cultures of clinical S. epidermidis isolates was evaluated. Initially, susceptibility to cinnamon oil in planktonic cultures was compared to the commonly used antimicrobial agents chlorhexidine, triclosan, and gentamicin. The MIC of cinnamon oil, defined as the lowest concentration able to inhibit visible microbial growth, and the minimal bactericidal concentration, the lowest concentration required to kill 99.9% of the bacteria, were determined using the broth microdilution method and plating on agar. A checkerboard assay was used to evaluate the possible synergy between cinnamon oil and the other antimicrobial agents. The effect of cinnamon oil on biofilm growth was studied in 96-well plates and with confocal laser-scanning microscopy (CLSM). Biofilm susceptibility was determined using a metabolic 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Real-time PCR analysis was performed to determine the effect of sub-MIC concentrations of cinnamon oil on expression of the biofilm-related gene, icaA. Cinnamon oil showed antimicrobial activity against both planktonic and biofilm cultures of clinical S. epidermidis strains. There was only a small difference between planktonic and biofilm MICs, ranging from 0.5 to 1% and 1 to 2%, respectively. CLSM images indicated that cinnamon oil is able to detach and kill existing biofilms. Thus, cinnamon oil is an effective antimicrobial agent to combat S. epidermidis biofilms.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanfei Yang ◽  
Ali Honaramooz

Significant intrinsic fluorescence in tissues and in disassociated cells can interfere with fluorescence identification of target cells. The objectives of the present study were (1) to examine an intrinsic fluorescence we observed in both the piglet testis tissue and cells and (2) to test an effective method to block the autofluorescence. We observed that a number of granules within the testis interstitial cells were inherently fluorescent, detectable using epifluorescence microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and flow cytometry. The emission wavelength of the autofluorescent substance ranged from 425 to 700 nm, a range sufficiently broad that could potentially interfere with fluorescence techniques. When we treated the samples with Sudan Black B for different incubation times, the intrinsic fluorescence was completely masked after treatment for 10–15 min of the testis tissue sections or for 8 min of the testis cells, without compromising specific fluorescence labeling of gonocytes with lectin Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA). We speculate that the lipofuscin or lipofuscin-like pigments within Leydig cell granules were mainly responsible for the observed intrinsic fluorescence in piglet testes. The method described in the present study can facilitate the identification and characterization of piglet gonocytes using fluorescence microscopy.


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