Impact of methylene blue in complex with coherent and incoherent radiation on biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans
Abstract
The formation of microbial biofilms is one of the mechanisms underlying the acquisition of antimicrobial resistance, which is associated, in particular, with the presence of an extracellular matrix and reduced metabolic activity of the cells. In addition, the development of chronic infections of bacterial and fungal etiology is closely associated with biofilm formation. Consequen t ly, the investigation of non-pharmacological approaches targeting biofilm formation and established biofilms of opportunistic microorganisms is of particular relevance. The combined effect of a photosensitizer – a 0.1% aqueous solution of methylene blue – and coherent (low-intensity laser radiation) as well as non-coherent (polarized non-coherent low-intensity radiation) red-spectrum light on biofilms of clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans , as well as reference test strains S. aureus ATCC 25923 and C. albicans ATCC 10231, was investigated. It was established that the use of antimicrobial phot o dynamic therapy leads to a significant reduction in the density of 5-day-old biofilms of the studied microbial strains, which is manifested by a decrease in the growth intensity of biofilm scrapings on solid nutrient media by an average of 88.2-94.7% co m pared with the control. A 20-minute exposure to methylene blue led to a reduction in biofilm density by 38.6-45.7% compared with the control group. At the same time, low-intensity laser radiation and polarized non-coherent low-intensity red-spectrum radiation with a power density of 40 mW /cm² did not produce a statistically significant effect on the density of the formed bi o films . Ten-minute irradiation of the microbial inoculum of the reference test strains S. aureus ATCC 25923 and C. albicans ATCC 10231 with PILER radiation showed a stimulatory effect, manifested by an increase in the biofilm density of these strains by 24.7 – 30.5%. When comparing the effects of low-intensity laser radiation and polarized non-coherent radiation on the bi o films of the studied strains, their similarity was noted both when used alone and when combined with a photosensitizer . Given the pr o nounced antibiofilm effect, the use of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy may be recommended as part of combination trea t ment for infections caused by S. aureus and C. albicans , with the aim of disrupting microbial biofilms and reducing the pharm a cological burden on the body.References
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