Open AccessAntimicrobial effects of microwave‐induced plasma torch (MiniMIP) treatment on Candida albicans biofilms
Author(s) -
Handorf Oliver,
Schnabel Uta,
Bösel André,
Weihe Thomas,
Bekeschus Sander,
Graf Alexander Christian,
Riedel Katharina,
Ehlbeck Jörg
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
microbial biotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.287
H-Index - 74
ISSN - 1751-7915
DOI - 10.1111/1751-7915.13459
Subject(s) - biofilm , candida albicans , corpus albicans , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , viability assay , antimicrobial , confocal laser scanning microscopy , laser microscopy , in vitro , bacteria , biophysics , biology , confocal , biochemistry , genetics , geometry , mathematics
Summary The susceptibility of Candida albicans biofilms to a non‐thermal plasma treatment has been investigated in terms of growth, survival and cell viability by a series of in vitro experiments. For different time periods, the C. albicans strain SC5314 was treated with a microwave‐induced plasma torch (MiniMIP). The MiniMIP treatment had a strong effect (reduction factor (RF) = 2.97 after 50 s treatment) at a distance of 3 cm between the nozzle and the superior regions of the biofilms. In addition, a viability reduction of 77% after a 20 s plasma treatment and a metabolism reduction of 90% after a 40 s plasma treatment time were observed for C. albicans . After such a treatment, the biofilms revealed an altered morphology of their cells by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Additionally, fluorescence microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) analyses of plasma‐treated biofilms showed that an inactivation of cells mainly appeared on the bottom side of the biofilms. Thus, the plasma inactivation of the overgrown surface reveals a new possibility to combat biofilms.