Detection of a biologically active substance produced by Lactobacillus fermentum that inhibits Streptococcus agalactiae and Neisseria gonorrhoeae

RUIZ, FRANCISCO; ASURMENDI, PAULA; CAFFARATTI, EMILIANO; GERBALDO, GISELA; PASCUAL, LILIANA; BARBERIS, LUCILA

Huerta Grande, Córdoba, Argentina

Jornada; XVII Jornadas Científicas de la Sociedad de Biología de Córdoba; 2009

Sociedad de Biología de Córdoba

S. agalactiae (GBS) is a human pathogen that colonizes the female genital tract and it acquires relevance because of perinatal infection. N. gonorrhoeae causes a sexually transmitted disease, and it has developed resistance to antibiotics. Lactobacilli are the main microorganisms of the healthy female vaginal environment, and produce antibiotic compounds such as bacteriocins. In the present work, sensibility of GBS and N. gonorrhoeae to the L. fermentum L23 bacteriocin was evaluated. The bacteriocin was obtained from a culture with 18 h of incubation at 37 °C and centrifugation at 8000 rpm for 20 min at 4 °C. 20 S. agalactiae strains and 12 N. gonorrhoeae strains were tested. The wells technique was performed in Thayer Martin and Mueller Hinton Plates. 60% of the GBS strains and 100% of the N. gonorrhoeae strains were inhibited by the L. fermentum bacteriocin. The obtained results did not coincide with those of Juarez Tomas (2003), since inhibition was due to acids and not to the action of a bacteriocin. In summary, the results are highly encouraging since the L23 bacteriocin was able to inhibit the tested strains. These promissory findings would allow the use of the L. fermentum L23 as a biocontrol agent or as a therapeutic alternative in the future for suppression or prevention of genital infections.