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Title

Heparin-benzyl alcohol enhancement of biofilms formation and antifungal susceptibility of vaginal Candida species isolated from pregnant and non-pregnant Saudi women

 

Authors

Raid A Al-akeel1*, Talat A El-kersh1, Yazeed A Al-Sheikh1 & Ziab Zakey Al-Ahmadey2

 

Affiliation

1Clinical Laboratory Sciences Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 10219, Riyadh 11433, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 2Al-Ansar hospital, Ministry of Health, Medina, Saudi Arabia

 

Email

alakeel@ksu.edu.sa; *Corresponding author

 

Article Type

Hypothesis

 

Date

Received March 07, 2013; Accepted March 08, 2013; Published April 13, 2013

 

Abstract

Biofilm formation by Candida species is a major contribute to their pathogenic potential. The aim of this study was to determine in vitro effects of EDTA, cycloheximide, and heparin-benzyl alcohol preservative on C. albicans (126) and non-albicans (31)vaginal yeast isolates biofilm formations and their susceptibility against three antifungal Etest strips. Results of the crystal violet-assay, indicated that biofilms formation were most commonly observed [100%] for C. kefyr, C. utilis, C. famata, and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, followed by C. glabrata [70%], C. tropicalis [50%], C. albicans [29%], Saccharomyces cerevisiae [0.0%]. EDTA (0.3mg/ml) significantly inhibited biofilm formation in both C. albicans and non-albicans isolates (P=0.0001) presumably due to chelation of necessary metal cations for the process-completion. In contrast, heparin (-benzyl alcohol preservative) stimulated biofilm formation in all tested isolates, but not at significant level (P=0.567). Conversely, cycloheximide significantly (P=0.0001) inhibited biofilm formation in all C. albicans strains(126) and its effect was even 3 fold more pronounced than EDTA inhibition, probably due to its attenuation of proteins (enzymes) and/or complex molecules necessary for biofilm formation. Results also showed that all non-albicans yeasts isolates were susceptible to 5-flucytosine (MIC50, 0.016 µg/ml; MIC90, 0.064 µg/ml), but 14% of C. albicans isolates were resistant (MIC50, 0.064 µg/ml; MIC90 >32 µg/ml). The MIC50 value of amphotricin B for all C. albicans and non-albicans isolates was at a narrow range of 0.023 µg /ml, and the MIC90 values were 0.047 µg/ml and 0.064 µg/ml respectively, thereby confirming its efficacy as a first line empiric- treatment of Candida spp infections.

 

Keywords

Candida spp, Biofilm formation, EDTA, Heparin-benzyl alcohol, Cycloheximide, Antifungal agents.

 

Citation

Al-akeel et al.   Bioinformation 9(7): 357-362 (2013)

 

Edited by

P Kangueane

 

ISSN

0973-2063

 

Publisher

Biomedical Informatics

 

License

This is an Open Access article which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited. This is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.