Use of a Continuous-Culture Biofilm System To Study the Antimicrobial Susceptibilities of Gardnerella vaginalisand Lactobacillus acidophilus
ABSTRACT Gardnerella vaginalis and Lactobacillus acidophilus have been shown to grow to high titers in a simple biofilm system. This system was used in the present investigation to compare the biofilm-eradicating concentrations (BECs) of amoxicillin, clindamycin, erythromycin, and metronidazole to standard tube MIC and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) results. With the lactobacillus, the BEC/tube MBC ratio was at least 16:1, while forG. vaginalis the ratio varied from 2:1 to 512:1. The simple continuous-culture system used in the present investigation is ideal for investigating the BEC for bacteria involved in complex ecological situations such as bacterial vaginosis and may be useful for the identification of the most effective and selective antibiotic therapy.