TY - JOUR

T1 - Maggot excretions/secretions are differentially effective against biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

AU - van der Plas, Mariena J A

AU - Jukema, Gerrolt N

AU - Wai, Sin-Wen

AU - Dogterom-Ballering, Heleen C M

AU - Lagendijk, Ellen L

AU - van Gulpen, Co

AU - van Dissel, Jaap T

AU - Bloemberg, Guido V

AU - Nibbering, Peter H

PY - 2008/1

Y1 - 2008/1

N2 - OBJECTIVES: Lucilia sericata maggots are successfully used for treating chronic wounds. As the healing process in these wounds is complicated by bacteria, particularly when residing in biofilms that protect them from antibiotics and the immune system, we assessed the effects of maggot excretions/secretions (ES) on Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms, the clinically most relevant species.METHODS: We assessed the effects of ES on biofilms using microtitre plate assays, on bacterial viability using in vitro killing and radial diffusion assays, and on quorum sensing systems using specific reporter bacteria.RESULTS: As little as 0.2 microg of ES prevented S. aureus biofilm formation and 2 microg of ES rapidly degraded biofilms. In contrast, ES initially promoted P. aeruginosa biofilm formation, but after 10 h the biofilms collapsed. Degradation of P. aeruginosa biofilms started after 10 h and required 10-fold more ES than S. aureus biofilms. Boiling of ES abrogated their effects on S. aureus, but not on P. aeruginosa, biofilms, indicating that different molecules within ES are responsible for the observed effects. Modulation of biofilms by ES did not involve bacterial killing or effects on quorum sensing systems.CONCLUSIONS: Maggot ES are differentially effective against biofilms of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa.

AB - OBJECTIVES: Lucilia sericata maggots are successfully used for treating chronic wounds. As the healing process in these wounds is complicated by bacteria, particularly when residing in biofilms that protect them from antibiotics and the immune system, we assessed the effects of maggot excretions/secretions (ES) on Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms, the clinically most relevant species.METHODS: We assessed the effects of ES on biofilms using microtitre plate assays, on bacterial viability using in vitro killing and radial diffusion assays, and on quorum sensing systems using specific reporter bacteria.RESULTS: As little as 0.2 microg of ES prevented S. aureus biofilm formation and 2 microg of ES rapidly degraded biofilms. In contrast, ES initially promoted P. aeruginosa biofilm formation, but after 10 h the biofilms collapsed. Degradation of P. aeruginosa biofilms started after 10 h and required 10-fold more ES than S. aureus biofilms. Boiling of ES abrogated their effects on S. aureus, but not on P. aeruginosa, biofilms, indicating that different molecules within ES are responsible for the observed effects. Modulation of biofilms by ES did not involve bacterial killing or effects on quorum sensing systems.CONCLUSIONS: Maggot ES are differentially effective against biofilms of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa.

KW - Animals

KW - Anti-Bacterial Agents

KW - Biofilms

KW - Diptera

KW - Larva

KW - Pseudomonas aeruginosa

KW - Staphylococcus

KW - Wound Healing

KW - Journal Article

KW - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

U2 - 10.1093/jac/dkm407

DO - 10.1093/jac/dkm407

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 17965032

VL - 61

SP - 117

EP - 122

JO - Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy

JF - Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy

SN - 0305-7453

IS - 1

ER -