Biofilm Formation of Facilitates Fungal Infiltration and Persister Cell Formation in Vaginal Candidiasis.

Background: Vaginal candidiasis is an important medical condition awaiting more effective treatment. How causes this disease and survives antifungal treatment is not yet fully understood. This study aimed to establish a comprehensive understanding of biofilm-related defensive strategies that uses to establish vaginal candidiasis and to survive antifungal treatment.

Agastache honey has superior antifungal activity in comparison with important commercial honeys.

There is an urgent need for new effective antifungal agents suitable for the treatment of superficial skin infections, since acquired resistance of fungi to currently available agents is increasing. The antifungal activity of mono-floral Agastache honey and commercially available honeys were tested against dermatophytes (T. mentagrophytes and T.

RAFT-Derived Polymethacrylates as a Superior Treatment for Recurrent Vulvovaginal Candidiasis by Targeting Biotic Biofilms and Persister Cells.

Background: Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a common infection in need of more effective treatment. Formation of epithelium-associated biofilms and the presence of persister cells are among the major contributing factors to the recurrence of this condition. We have previously developed RAFT-derived polymethacrylates that are effective in killing biofilms .

Antimicrobial Activity of Honey and Characterization of Its Bioactive Compounds in Comparison With Important Commercial Honeys.

There is an urgent need for new effective antimicrobial agents since acquired resistance of bacteria to currently available agents is increasing. The antimicrobial activity of Mono-floral honey produced from Australian grown was compared with the activity of commercially available honeys derived from species and with Jarrah honey for activity against clinical and non-clinical strains of (methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant strains), , and . The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for honey was in the range of 6-25% (w/v) for all species examined.

Cryptosporidium parvum decay during air drying and stockpiling of mesophilic anaerobically digested sewage sludge in a simulation experiment and oocyst counts in sludge collected from operational treatment lagoons in Victoria, Australia.

The inactivation of Cryptosporidium species oocysts during sewage sludge treatment is important to protect human health when the residual biosolids are applied to agricultural land. Quantifying the decay of Cryptosporidium species during sludge treatment for microbiological assurance purposes is difficult if low numbers are present in wastewater. The rate of decay of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts during solar/air drying treatment and in sludge stockpiles in temperate environment conditions was simulated in laboratory inoculation experiments using sludge sampled from a mesophilic anaerobic digester.

A Comprehensive Evaluation of Xpert MTB/RIF Assay With Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid as a Single Test or Combined With Conventional Assays for Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in China: A Two-Center Prospective Study.

The Xpert MTB/RIF is recommended by the World Health Organization as a first line rapid test for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB); however, China does not routinely use this test, partially due to the lack of a sufficient number of systematic evaluations of this assay in local patients. The aims of this study were to comprehensively assess the diagnostic performance of Xpert MTB/RIF, either alone or in combination with conventional assays for the diagnosis of pulmonary TB in adult Chinese patients. Xpert MTB/RIF tests were performed in 190 adult patients with suspected pulmonary TB, using bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) as test specimens.

Antimicrobial Activity of Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) Essential Oil and Their Major Constituents against Three Species of Bacteria.

In recent years scientists worldwide have realized that the effective life span of any antimicrobial agent is limited, due to increasing development of resistance by microorganisms. Consequently, numerous studies have been conducted to find new alternative sources of antimicrobial agents, especially from plants. The aims of this project were to examine the antimicrobial properties of essential oils distilled from Australian-grown Ocimum tenuiflorum (Tulsi), to quantify the volatile components present in flower spikes, leaves and the essential oil, and to investigate the compounds responsible for any activity.

Selection of suitable reference genes for gene expression studies in Staphylococcus capitis during growth under erythromycin stress.

Accurate and reproducible measurement of gene transcription requires appropriate reference genes, which are stably expressed under different experimental conditions to provide normalization. Staphylococcus capitis is a human pathogen that produces biofilm under stress, such as imposed by antimicrobial agents. In this study, a set of five commonly used staphylococcal reference genes (gyrB, sodA, recA, tuf and rpoB) were systematically evaluated in two clinical isolates of Staphylococcus capitis (S.

Antibiotic regimen based on population analysis of residing persister cells eradicates Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms.

Biofilm formation is a major pathogenicity strategy of Staphylococcus epidermidis causing various medical-device infections. Persister cells have been implicated in treatment failure of such infections. We sought to profile bacterial subpopulations residing in S.

Factors affecting decay of Salmonella Birkenhead and coliphage MS2 during mesophilic anaerobic digestion and air drying of sewage sludge.

Factors affecting the decay of Salmonella Birkenhead and coliphage, as representatives of bacterial and viral pathogens, respectively, during mesophilic anaerobic digestion (MAD) and air drying treatment of anaerobically digested sewage sludge were investigated. Controlled concentrations of S. Birkenhead were inoculated into non-sterile, autoclaved, γ-irradiated and nutrient-supplemented sludge and cultures were incubated at 37 °C (MAD sludge treatment temperature) or 20 °C (summer air drying sludge treatment temperature).

Effects of erythromycin on the phenotypic and genotypic biofilm expression in two clinical Staphylococcus capitis subspecies and a functional analysis of Ica proteins in S. capitis.

The ica operon encoding polysaccharide intercellular adhesion, which facilitates biofilm formation in staphylococci, has been extensively studied in Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus. Based on in silico analysis, we suggest the following functional model for Ica proteins in S. capitis.

Enhancing DNA electro-transformation efficiency on a clinical Staphylococcus capitis isolate.

Clinical staphylococcus isolates possess a stronger restriction-modification (RM) barrier than laboratory strains. Clinical isolates are therefore more resistant to acceptance of foreign genetic material than laboratory strains, as their restriction systems more readily recognize and destroy foreign DNA. This stronger barrier consequently restricts genetic studies to a small number of domestic strains that are capable of accepting foreign DNA.

Comparison of methodologies for enumerating and detecting the viability of Ascaris eggs in sewage sludge by standard incubation-microscopy, the BacLight Live/Dead viability assay and other vital dyes.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the Live/Dead BacLight viability kit as a method for enumerating viable eggs of Ascaris suum in sewage sludge as a surrogate for the human roundworm. The number and viability status of eggs of A. suum were accurately measured directly in sewage sludge samples by the BacLight method, compared to the conventional incubation-microscopy procedure.

An assessment of the dynamic stability of microorganisms on patterned surfaces in relation to biofouling control.

Microstructure-based patterned surfaces with antifouling capabilities against a wide range of organisms are yet to be optimised. Several studies have shown that microtopographic features affect the settlement and the early stages of biofilm formation of microorganisms. It is speculated that the fluctuating stress-strain rates developed on patterned surfaces disrupt the stability of microorganisms.

Molecular epidemiology of recurrent clinical mastitis due to Streptococcus uberis: evidence of both an environmental source and recurring infection with the same strain.

This study was undertaken because clinicians and farmers have observed that a considerable number of cows diagnosed with Streptococcus uberis mastitis have recurrences of mastitis in the same or a different quarter. The study was an attempt to answer whether these recurring cases were due to treatment failure (in which case a search would have begun for a better treatment for Strep. uberis mastitis) or due to reinfection with a different strain of Strep.

A novel approach to determine the efficacy of patterned surfaces for biofouling control in relation to its microfluidic environment.

Biofouling, the unwanted growth of sessile microorganisms on submerged surfaces, presents a serious problem for underwater structures. While biofouling can be controlled to various degrees with different microstructure-based patterned surfaces, understanding of the underlying mechanism is still imprecise. Researchers have long speculated that microtopographies might influence near-surface microfluidic conditions, thus microhydrodynamically preventing the settlement of microorganisms.

The persistence of biofilm-associated antibiotic resistance of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from clinical bovine mastitis cases in Australia.

The aim of this investigation was to determine the persistence of biofilm-associated antibiotic resistance developed by methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), of different capsular types, during biofilm formation. Because of superiority of the tissue culture plate (TCP) over the Congo Red Agar (CRA) method for measuring biofilm formation, it was used to determine the persistence of the antibiotic resistance developed by the isolates in biofilms. The antibiotic resistance was found to persist for 3-4 wk post-propagation as planktonic subcultures.

Differences between two clinical Staphylococcus capitis subspecies as revealed by biofilm, antibiotic resistance, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profiling.

Coagulase-negative staphylococci have been identified as major causes of late-onset neonatal bacteremia in neonatal intensive care units. Sixty isolates of Staphylococcus capitis obtained from blood cultures of neonates between 2000 and 2005 were examined in this study. Biochemical analysis confirmed that 52 of these isolates belonged to the subsp.

Microbial safety of air-dried and rewetted biosolids.

To assess microbial safety of treated sewage sludge (biosolids), we examined the inactivation of microbial indicators for potential bacterial, viral and protozoan pathogens. The levels of indicators were determined throughout the air-drying and storage phases of anaerobically digested sewage sludge. Samples were collected from two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPS) in Victoria, Australia.

Coagulase-negative staphylococci in low birth weight infants: environmental factors affecting biofilm production in Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are the most common cause of biofilm-associated sepsis in very low birth weight infants (VLBW). Standard biofilm assays may not predict the pathogenic potential of CoNS since biofilm production is regulated by diverse environmental stimuli. Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from blood cultures from VLBW infants were evaluated for biofilm production in response to various environmental stimuli, including intravenous solutions and skin preparations.

Synthesis and activity of polyacetylene substituted 2-hydroxy acids, esters, and amides against microbes of clinical importance.

A series of novel polyacetylene substituted 2-hydroxy acids and derivatives were prepared and characterized. Alkylation of butane-2,3-diacetal (BDA) protected glycolic acid with iodoalkyl substituted polyacetylene compounds gave the corresponding diacetal protected polyacetylene substituted 2-hydroxy acids. Diacetal deprotection through acid mediated hydrolysis, transesterification or aminolysis afforded the 2-hydroxy-polyacetylenic acid, ester or amide derivatives.

Antibiotic susceptibility of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from very low birth weight babies: comprehensive comparisons of bacteria at different stages of biofilm formation.

Background: Coagulase-negative staphylococci are major causes of bloodstream infections in very low birth weight babies cared for in Neonatal Intensive Care Units. The virulence of these bacteria is mainly due to their ability to form biofilms on indwelling medical devices. Biofilm-related infections often fail to respond to antibiotic chemotherapy guided by conventional antibiotic susceptibility tests.

Densely adherent growth mode, rather than extracellular polymer substance matrix build-up ability, contributes to high resistance of Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms to antibiotics.

Objectives: (i) To evaluate the role of the adherent growth mode and extracellular polymer substance build-up in biofilm resistance to antibiotics. (ii) To re-assess various mechanisms leading to biofilm resistance to antibiotics.

Methods: We compared the biofilm MICs, biofilm MBCs using the viable count method, biofilm MBCs based on broth recovery methods and minimum biofilm eradication concentrations (MBECs) of antistaphylococcal antibiotics for multilayer biofilms formed by 'biofilm-positive' S.

Comparison of various antimicrobial agents as catheter lock solutions: preference for ethanol in eradication of coagulase-negative staphylococcal biofilms.

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are the main causative agents of bacteraemia in infants managed in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Intraluminal colonization of long-term central venous catheters by these bacteria and subsequent biofilm formation are the prerequisites of the bloodstream infections acquired in NICUs. The catheter lock technique has been used to treat catheter colonization; however, the optimum choice of antimicrobial agents and their corresponding concentrations and exposure times have not been determined.