A new spray ‐based method for the in‐vitro development of dry‐surface biofilms

Bacteria can persist in the hospital environment inside dry biofilms which grow on inanimate surfaces surrounding the patients. We developed a new method to produce dry-surface biofilms using the spraying of enriched artificial saliva which mimics the dispersion of respiratory secretions. The method created dehydrated biofilms of methicillin resistantStaphylococcus aureus and Enterobacteria under real-world conditions. AbstractThe inanimate environment immediately surrounding the patient in healthcare facilities is a reservoir of microorganisms embedded in dry-surface biofilms (DSB). These biofilms, first highlighted in 2012, are increasingly studied, but currently available in-vitro models only allow for the growth of semi-hydrated biofilms. We developed a new in-vitro method under actual dehydration conditions based on the hypothesis that surface contamination is mainly due to splashes of respiratory secretions. The main objective of this study was to show that the operating conditions we have defined allowed the growth of DSB with a methicillin resistantStaphylococcus aureus strain. The second objective was to show that extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae, that is,Klebsiella pneumoniae andEnterobacter cloacae were also able to grow such biofilms under these conditions. Monobacterial suspensions in sterile artificial saliva (SAS) were sprayed onto polyethylene surfaces. Nutrients and hydration were provided daily by spraying SAS enriched with 20% o...
Source: MicrobiologyOpen - Category: Microbiology Authors: Tags: COMMENTARY Source Type: research