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Lactobacillus fermentum RC-14 inhibits Staphylococcus aureus infection of surgical implants in rats

Bing Siang Gan1, Juan Kim, Gregor Reid

  • 1Hand and Upper Limb Centre, Lawson Health Research Institute, Department of Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.

The Journal of Infectious Diseases
|May 10, 2002
PubMed

Insights

A probiotic, Lactobacillus fermentum RC-14, and its biosurfactant effectively inhibited Staphylococcus aureus surgical implant infections. Both the probiotic and biosurfactant reduced bacterial adherence to implants, offering new strategies against resistant strains.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Staphylococcus aureus is a significant cause of community and hospital-acquired infections.
  • Rising multidrug-resistant strains and surgical site infections necessitate novel antistaphylococcal strategies.
  • Current treatments face challenges due to increasing bacterial resistance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of Lactobacillus fermentum RC-14 and its secreted biosurfactant against Staphylococcus aureus.
  • To determine the potential of these agents in preventing surgical implant infections.
  • To assess the impact on bacterial adherence to surgical implants.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized Lactobacillus fermentum RC-14, a known probiotic.
  • Isolated and tested the biosurfactant secreted by L. fermentum RC-14.
  • Assessed inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus infection in vitro.
  • Measured the effect on bacterial adherence to surgical implant materials.

Main Results:

  • Both L. fermentum RC-14 and its secreted biosurfactant demonstrated significant inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus.
  • A notable reduction in S. aureus infection and bacterial adherence to surgical implants was observed.
  • The probiotic and its biosurfactant show promise as preventative agents.

Conclusions:

  • Lactobacillus fermentum RC-14 and its biosurfactant are effective in combating Staphylococcus aureus.
  • These agents represent a promising new avenue for preventing and managing S. aureus surgical implant infections.
  • Further research into probiotic-derived biosurfactants could yield novel antimicrobial therapies.

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