Bacillus ‐based probiotic cleansers reduce the formation of dry biofilms on common hospital surfaces

We developed a test method for assessing the prevention of the adhesion of organisms to surfaces that could generate dry biofilm material. The study used a probiotic blend ofBacillus and a formulated product to assess their efficacy and visualize the presence of pathogen analogs on the surface of three material types. AbstractIn the absence of liquid suspension, dry biofilms can form upon hard surfaces within a hospital environment, representing a healthcare-associated infection risk. Probiotic cleansers using  generally recognized as safe organisms, such as those of theBacillus genus, represent a potential strategy for the reduction of dry biofilm bioburden. The mechanisms of action and efficacy of these cleaners are, however, poorly understood. To address this, a preventative dry biofilm assay was developed using steel, melamine, and ceramic surfaces to assess the ability of a commercially availableBacillus spp. based probiotic cleanser to reduce the surface bioburden ofEscherichia coli andStaphylococcus aureus. Via this assay, phosphate-buffered saline controls were able to generate dry biofilms within 7 days of incubation, with the application of the probiotic cleanser able to prevent>97.7% of dry biofilm formation across both pathogen analogs and surface types. Further to this, surfaces treated with the probiotic mixture alone also showed a reduction in dry biofilm across both pathogen and surface types. Confocal laser scanning microscopy imaging indicated that the p...
Source: MicrobiologyOpen - Category: Microbiology Authors: Tags: COMMENTARY Source Type: research