Biofilm formation abilities and disinfectant-resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from cockroaches captured in hospitals

Biocontrol Sci. 2009 Jun;14(2):65-8. doi: 10.4265/bio.14.65.

Abstract

Forty-five strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from cockroaches captured in hospitals were investigated with regard to their biofilm-forming ability and resistance to various disinfectants in various cellular states. The hydrophobicity value varied among the test strains from 0.001 to 0.241, and the mean +/- standard deviation (SD) was 0.101 +/- 0.074. The relative viscosity of the extracellular product was measured. All test strains produced a mucous substance, and the value was 1.05-1.30 (mean +/- SD: 1.11 +/- 0.06), showing that all test strains had a biofilm-forming ability. Bactericidal experiments were performed using 6 disinfectants: ethanol, Hibitane, Isojin, Osvan, Tego 51, and Welpas. When bacteria in suspension were exposed to the disinfectants for 1 min (suspension test), 5 of the 6 disinfectants excluding Tego 51 completely killed all test strains, showing high bactericidal effects. In contrast, when adherent bacteria were exposed to the disinfectants for 1 min (adhesion test), the killing rate by Welpas was 100%, but those by Isojin and ethanol were lower (88.9 and 60.0%, respectively), that by Osvan was only 4.4%, and no bacteria were killed by Hibitane or Tego 51. These findings showed that the bactericidal effects markedly decreased in the case of adherent P. aeruginosa.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bacterial Adhesion
  • Biofilms / growth & development*
  • Cockroaches / microbiology*
  • Disinfectants / pharmacology
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial
  • Environmental Microbiology
  • Hospitals
  • Humans
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / drug effects
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / isolation & purification*
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / pathogenicity
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / physiology*
  • Viscosity

Substances

  • Disinfectants