title: Gardnerella vaginalis outcompetes 29 other bacterial species isolated from patients with bacterial vaginosis, using in an in vitro biofilm formation model.
abstract: Despite the worldwide prevalence of bacterial vaginosis (BV), its etiology is still unknown. Although BV has been associated with the presence of biofilm, the ability of BV-associated bacteria to form biofilms is still largely unknown. Here, we isolated 30 BV-associated species and characterized their virulence, using an in vitro biofilm formation model. Our data suggests that Gardnerella vaginalis had the highest virulence potential, as defined by higher initial adhesion and cytotoxicity of epithelial cells, as well as the greater propensity to form a biofilm. Interestingly, we also demonstrated that most of the BV-associated bacteria had a tendency to grow as biofilms.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Center of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Center of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Center of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cármen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Center of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Tatiana B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Cereija
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Center of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Nuno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cerca
mesh_terms: D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006194:Gardnerella vaginalis / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology*; D014774:Virulence
keywords: bacterial vaginosis; multi-species biofilm; virulence determination