The use of Sorbarod biofilms to investigate some organisms involved in bacterial Vaginosis

Abstract

Sorbarod biofilms were investigated for their suitability in establishing a continuous growth for the study of bacterial vaginosis. Important organisms in the condition, Gadnerella vaginalis, Mobiluncus curtisii and Lactobacillus acidophilus were studied. In contrast to growth in broth culture, L. acidophilus and G. vaginalis were maintained for at least 96 hours in steady state on the biofilms. The strict anaerobe M. curtisii was maintained in these biofilms for at least 48 hours an indication that anaerobic conditions do exist in these biofilms. The haemolytic activity of G. vaginalis was consistently maintained in the biofilms in contrast to the short-term activity in the broth culture, which matched the bacterial titre. Gram stains of thin sections of paraffin wax embedded Sorbarods showed the micro-colonies as distinct irregular aggregates of organisms adherent to the cellulose matrix for G. vaginalis while L. acidophilus appeared as large latticed networks that formed between the cellulose fibre matrix. The simple Sorbarod system appears to be suitable for studying the growth of bacteria in continuous culture and has a potential for investigating interactions between micro- organisms.


Journal of Tropical Microbiology Vol.1(1) 2002: 36-40