title: Antimicrobial activity of chitosan against Campylobacter spp. and other microorganisms and its mechanism of action.
abstract: The antimicrobial activities of three chitosans with different molecular masses against six gram-negative and three gram-positive bacteria were examined. Campylobacter spp. were the microorganisms most sensitive to chitosan, regardless of their molecular mass. The MIC of chitosan for Campylobacter ranged from 0.005 to 0.05%, demonstrating the global sensitivity of campylobacters to chitosan. Chitosan caused a loss in the membrane integrity of Campylobacter, measured as an increase in cell fluorescence due to the uptake of propidium iodide, a dye that is normally excluded from cells with intact membranes. As cells entered the stationary phase, there was a change in cell membrane resistance toward a loss of integrity caused by chitosan. This study demonstrates that chitosans could be a promising antimicrobial to control Campylobacter.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Fermentaciones Industriales (CSIC), Juan de la Cierva, 3., 28006 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ganan
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Carrascosa
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Martínez-Rodríguez
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000187:drug effects*; D048271:Chitosan / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008970:Molecular Weight
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D048271:Chitosan