Premium
Development of a mixed‐species biofilm model and its virulence implications in device related infections
Author(s) -
Thet Naing T.,
Wallace Laura,
Wibaux Anne,
Boote Nick,
Jenkins A. Toby A.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of biomedical materials research part b: applied biomaterials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.665
H-Index - 108
eISSN - 1552-4981
pISSN - 1552-4973
DOI - 10.1002/jbm.b.34103
Subject(s) - biofilm , virulence , microbiology and biotechnology , pseudomonas aeruginosa , biology , bacteria , staphylococcus aureus , gene , genetics
It is becoming increasingly accepted that to understand and model the bacterial colonization and infection of abiotic surfaces requires the use of a biofilm model. There are many bacterial colonizations by at least two primary species, however this is difficult to model in vitro . This study reports the development of a simple mixed‐species biofilm model using strains of two clinically significant bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa grown on nanoporous polycarbonate membranes on nutrient agar support. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the complex biofilm characteristics of two bacteria blending in extensive extracellular matrices. Using a prototype wound dressing which detects cytolytic virulence factors, the virulence secretion of 30 single and 40 mixed‐species biofilms was tested. P. aeruginosa was seen to out‐compete S. aureus , resulting in a biofilm with P. aeruginosa dominating. In situ growth of mixed‐species biofilm under prototype dressings showed a real‐time correlation between the viable biofilm population and their associated virulence factors, as seen by dressing fluorescent assay. This paper aims to provide a protocol for scientists working in the field of device related infection to create mixed‐species biofilms and demonstrate that such biofilms are persistently more virulent in real infections. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 107B: 129–137, 2019.