Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 20, 2026

Kinetic Visualization of Single-Cell Interspecies Bacterial Interactions
Published on: August 5, 2020
Synergistic interactions in mixed-species biofilms of pathogenic bacteria from the respiratory tract
Maryam Varposhti1, Fatemeh Entezari1, Mohammad Mehdi Feizabadi1
1Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Introduction:
Mixed-species biofilms are involved in a wide variety of infections. We studied the synergistic interactions during dual-species biofilm formation among isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia.
Methods:
Isolates were cultured as single-species and all possible combinations of dual-species biofilms.
Results:
The 61 A. baumannii biofilms increased by 26-fold when cultured with S. maltophilia isolates; 62 A. baumannii biofilms increased by 20-fold when cultured with S. maltophilia isolates; and 31 P. aeruginosa biofilms increased by 102-fold when cultured with S. maltophilia 106.
Conclusions:
Synergy was observed between two isolates, including those that inherently lacked biofilm formation ability.
Related Concept Videos
Biofilms
Microbial Interactions: Cooperation
Combined Effects of Drugs: Synergism
Such synergistic combinations...
Microbiota of the Respiratory Tract
Microbial Interactions: Mutualism
The Oral Microbiota

