Artificial human sweat as a novel growth condition for clinically relevant pathogens on hospital surfaces
Artificial human sweat as a novel growth condition for clinically relevant pathogens on hospital surfaces
The emergence of biofilms on dry hospital surfaces has led to the development of numerous models designed to challenge the efficacious properties of common antimicrobial agents used in cleaning. This is in spite of limited research defining how dry surfaces are able to facilitate biofilm growth and formation in such desiccating and nutrient-deprived environments. While it is well established that the phenotypical response of biofilms is dependent on the conditions in which they are formed, most models incorporate a nutrient-enriched, hydrated environment dissimilar to the clinical setting. In this study, we piloted a novel culture medium, artificial human sweat (AHS), which is perceived to be more indicative of the nutrient sources available on hospital surfaces, particularly those in close proximity to patients. AHS was capable of sustaining the proliferation of four clinically relevant multidrug-resistant pathogens (Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and achieved biofilm formation at concentration levels equivalent to those found in situ (average, 6.00 log10 CFU/cm2) with similar visual characteristics upon microscopy. The AHS model presented here could be used for downstream applications, including efficacy testing of hospital cleaning products, due to its resemblance to clinical biofilms on dry surfaces. This may contribute to a better understanding of the true impact these products have on surface hygiene. IMPORTANCE Precise modeling of dry surface biofilms in hospitals is critical for understanding their role in hospital-acquired infection transmission and surface contamination. Using a representative culture condition which includes a nutrient source is key to developing a phenotypically accurate biofilm community. This will enable accurate laboratory testing of cleaning products and their efficacy against dry surface biofilms.
hospital surfaces, biofilms, dry surface biofilms, hospital infections, human sweat
Watson, Fergus
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Keevil, C William
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Chewins, John
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Wilks, Sandra A
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27 April 2022
Watson, Fergus
c4c3927e-47bf-4448-a0c2-13a767e28ad8
Keevil, C William
cb7de0a7-ce33-4cfa-af52-07f99e5650eb
Chewins, John
07e26e61-1058-4872-8c54-500a0c4b3c26
Wilks, Sandra A
86c1f41a-12b3-451c-9245-b1a21775e993
Watson, Fergus, Keevil, C William, Chewins, John and Wilks, Sandra A
(2022)
Artificial human sweat as a novel growth condition for clinically relevant pathogens on hospital surfaces.
Microbiology Spectrum, 10 (2), [e0213721].
(doi:10.1128/spectrum.02137-21).
Abstract
The emergence of biofilms on dry hospital surfaces has led to the development of numerous models designed to challenge the efficacious properties of common antimicrobial agents used in cleaning. This is in spite of limited research defining how dry surfaces are able to facilitate biofilm growth and formation in such desiccating and nutrient-deprived environments. While it is well established that the phenotypical response of biofilms is dependent on the conditions in which they are formed, most models incorporate a nutrient-enriched, hydrated environment dissimilar to the clinical setting. In this study, we piloted a novel culture medium, artificial human sweat (AHS), which is perceived to be more indicative of the nutrient sources available on hospital surfaces, particularly those in close proximity to patients. AHS was capable of sustaining the proliferation of four clinically relevant multidrug-resistant pathogens (Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and achieved biofilm formation at concentration levels equivalent to those found in situ (average, 6.00 log10 CFU/cm2) with similar visual characteristics upon microscopy. The AHS model presented here could be used for downstream applications, including efficacy testing of hospital cleaning products, due to its resemblance to clinical biofilms on dry surfaces. This may contribute to a better understanding of the true impact these products have on surface hygiene. IMPORTANCE Precise modeling of dry surface biofilms in hospitals is critical for understanding their role in hospital-acquired infection transmission and surface contamination. Using a representative culture condition which includes a nutrient source is key to developing a phenotypically accurate biofilm community. This will enable accurate laboratory testing of cleaning products and their efficacy against dry surface biofilms.
Text
spectrum.02137-21
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More information
Accepted/In Press date: 17 February 2022
e-pub ahead of print date: 31 March 2022
Published date: 27 April 2022
Additional Information:
Funding Information:
This study was funded by the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851. F.W. conceived and coordinated the study, analyzed the data, and prepared the paper. C.W.K., S.A.W., and J.C. provided technical assistance. All authors reviewed the results and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2022 Watson et al.
Keywords:
hospital surfaces, biofilms, dry surface biofilms, hospital infections, human sweat
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 456510
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/456510
ISSN: 2165-0497
PURE UUID: 0a0fefe0-cc99-4642-9ac6-9e0ed3e61fe9
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Date deposited: 04 May 2022 16:56
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 02:54
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Author:
John Chewins
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