Effects of green tea compound epigallocatechin-3-gallate against Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infection and biofilm.

We investigated the in vitro and in vivo activities of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCg), a green tea component, against Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (Sm) isolates from cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. In vitro effects of EGCg and the antibiotic colistin (COL) on growth inhibition, survival, and also against young and mature biofilms of S. maltophilia were determined. Qualitative and quantitative changes on the biofilms were assessed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Further, in vivo effects of nebulized EGCg in C57BL/6 and Cftr mutant mice during acute Sm lung infection were evaluated. Subinhibitory concentrations of EGCg significantly reduced not only biofilm formation, but also the quantity of viable cells in young and mature biofilms. CLSM showed that EGCg-exposed biofilms exhibited either a change in total biofilm biovolume or an increase of the fraction of dead cells contained within the biofilm in a dose depended manner. Sm infected wild-type and Cftr mutant mice treated with 1,024 mg/L EGCg by inhalation exhibited significantly lower bacterial counts than those undergoing no treatment or treated with COL. EGCg displayed promising inhibitory and anti-biofilm properties against CF Sm isolates in vitro and significantly reduced Sm bacterial counts in an acute infection model with wild type and CF mice. This natural compound may represent a novel therapeutic agent against Sm infection in CF.

Assessment of in vitro biofilm formation by Candida species isolates from vulvovaginal candidiasis and ultrastructural characteristics.

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a very common cause of fungal infection that remains a significant problem worldwide, especially concerning its complex pathogenicity. Biofilm dynamics from vaginal isolates requires further investigation. Different assays, such as cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH), biofilm production, fungal metabolism by 2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide (XTT) and phenazine methosulfate (PMS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM) were used in order to determine the ability of five Candida species isolates from VVC patients to form in vitro biofilms and their ultrastructural characteristics. All yeasts demonstrated the ability to produce biofilm and showed viability up to 48 h after the completion of assay, confirmed by SEM and CSLM, but differences were observed between them. SEM and CSLM also revealed that all VVC isolates adhered only in blastoconidia form, except for Candida parapsilosis. Even though, only one isolate from each Candida species has been used, the results of high biofilm formation, metabolic activity and CSH showed by Candida albicans and C. parapsilosis, as well as by the ultrastructural characteristics, suggest that these species exhibit greater ability of adherence in relation to the others. Ours results support the theory that virulence potential is multifactorial and that other factors not evaluated in this study could be involved in the CVV physiopathogeny.