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    STUDIA BIOLOGIA - Issue no. 2 / 2008  
         
  Article:   SENSITIVITY OF BACTERIAL, YEAST BIOFILMS AND PLANKTONIC CELLS TO SEVERAL ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS.

Authors:  ILDIKÓ-IRÉN RÁCKÖVY, MIHAIL DRĂGAN-BULARDA. 		 
       
         
  Abstract:  Microorganisms often colonize a substratum and form microcolonies or biofilms where they are enclosed in exopolymer matrices. Biofilms are commonly resistant to a broad range of antimicrobial agents, and resistance mechanisms involve exopolymer matrices, changes in gene expression and metabolic alterations. Due to these different resistance mechanisms, it is difficult to select and titrate antimicrobial agents to be effective against biofilms. In this context the effects of the 5 sanitizing agents (Microzid AF, Omnicide, Terralin, P3 Topax 66 and Domestos) on Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis, Candida albicans and a MRSA strains adhering to stainless steel were compared using epifluorescence microscopy. These biocides were tested on planktonic bacteria on suspension tests and surface test. Data showed that the antimicrobial efficacy measured on planktonic bacteria is not a reliable indicator of performance when biofilm is present. When biofilms were exposed to these sanitizing agents, these were not destroyed by the concentration affective on surface and suspension tests.

KEYWORDS: biofilms, sanitizing agents, pathogen bacteria, pathogen yeast, epifluorescence microscopy, planktonic cells. 		 
         
     
         
         
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