Browsing by Subject "Biofilms"

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    Deletion of GLX3 in Candida albicans affects temperature tolerance, biofilm formation, and virulence
    (Oxford University Press, 2018-11-21) Cabello, Laura; Gómez Herreros, Estefanía; Fernández Pereira, Jordan; Maicas, Sergi; Groot, Piet W. J. de; Valentín, Eulogio; Martínez-Esparza Alvargonzález, María Concepción; Bioquímica y Biología Molecular B e Inmunología
    Candida albicans is a predominant cause of fungal infections in mucosal tissues as well as life-threatening bloodstream infections in immunocompromised patients. Within the human body, C. albicans is mostly embedded in biofilms, which provides increased resistance to antifungal drugs. The glyoxalase Glx3 is an abundant proteomic component of the biofilm extracellular matrix. Here, we document phenotypic studies of a glx3 null mutant concerning its role in biofilm formation, filamentation, antifungal drug resistance, cell wall integrity and virulence. First, consistent with its function as glyoxalase, the glx3 null mutant showed impaired growth on media containing glycerol as the carbon source and in the presence of low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide. Importantly, the glx3 mutant showed decreased fitness at 37◦C and formed less biofilm as compared to wild type and a reintegrant strain. At the permissive temperature of 28◦C, the glx3 mutant showed impaired filamentation as well as increased sensitivity to Calcofluor white, Congo red, sodium dodecyl sulfate and zymolyase, indicating subtle alterations in wall architecture even though gross quantitative compositional changes were not detected. Interestingly, and consistent with its impaired filamentation, biofilm formation and growth at 37◦C, the glx3 mutant is avirulent. Our results underline the role of Glx3 in fungal pathogenesis and the involvement of the fungal wall in this process.
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    Implant microbial colonization detected by sonication as a cause for spinal device failure
    (Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 2021-11-01) García Pérez, Daniel; Lagares, Alfonso; Castaño León, Ana María; Panero, Irene; Munarriz, Pablo M.; Delgado Fernández, Juan; Jiménez Roldán, Luis; Pérez-Núñez, Ángel; Alén, Jose Antonio F.; Paredes, Igor; Farmacología
    Study Design. A prospective single center observational study. Objectives. The aim of this study was to examine the potential role of sonication in the diagnosis of low-grade infections and its association with pedicle screw (PS) loosening, and to describe risk factors and radiological findings associated with spinal implant infection. Summary of Background Data. Although PS loosening has mainly been attributed to mechanical overload, implant colonization and biofilm formation have recently been suggested. Culturing of sonication fluid implants is promising in the field of spine instrumentation infection, but little data are available. Methods. We prospectively included all patients who were subjected to implant removal. PS loosening was assessed with computed tomography (CT) scan. Different clinical and radiological parameters which could serve as indicators of implant infection were studied. Results. Thirty-eight patients were included in the study and 11 of them (29%) had a positive sonication result. Patients with spinal implant infection were associated with screw loosening (P = 0.005). Particularly, those screws with a positive microbiological culture showed signs of screw loosening in the preoperative CT scan (P < 0.001). Our results also showed that radiological screw loosening at L1-L3 level, and loosened larger constructs were associated with screw microbial colonization. The most common isolated microorganisms were coagulase-negative staphylococci and Cutibacterium acnes. An implant-based multivariate analysis indicated that screw loosening, the absence of prophylactic cefazolin, ICU hospitalization, screw breakage, and L1-L3 spine level were independent risk factors for implant-associated infection. Our model exhibited a high predictive power with an area under the curve of 0.937. Conclusion. As clinical presentation of deep implant chronic infection is unspecific, consideration of these factors enables preoperative prediction and risk stratification of implant colonization, thus helping patient's management. Level of Evidence: 3