Antioxidants (Apr 2023)

Antimicrobial Photodynamic Inactivation: An Alternative for Group B <i>Streptococcus</i> Vaginal Colonization in a Murine Experimental Model

  • Michał K. Pierański,
  • Jan G. Kosiński,
  • Klaudia Szymczak,
  • Piotr Sadowski,
  • Mariusz Grinholc

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox12040847
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 4
p. 847

Abstract

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Background: Streptococcus agalactiae, referred to as Group B Streptococcus (GBS), is a prominent bacterium causing life-threatening neonatal infections. Although antibiotics are efficient against GBS, growing antibiotic resistance forces the search for alternative treatments and/or prevention approaches. Antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation (aPDI) appears to be a potent alternative non-antibiotic strategy against GBS. Methods: The effect of rose bengal aPDI on various GBS serotypes, Lactobacillus species, human eukaryotic cell lines and microbial vaginal flora composition was evaluated. Results: RB-mediated aPDI was evidenced to exert high bactericidal efficacy towards S. agalactiae in vitro (>4 log10 units of viability reduction for planktonic and >2 log10 units for multispecies biofilm culture) and in vivo (ca. 2 log10 units of viability reduction in mice vaginal GBS colonization model) in microbiological and metagenomic analyses. At the same time, RB-mediated aPDI was evidenced to be not mutagenic and safe for human vaginal cells, as well as capable of maintaining the balance and viability of vaginal microbial flora. Conclusions: aPDI can efficiently kill GBS and serve as an alternative approach against GBS vaginal colonization and/or infections.

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