Current Microbiology

, Volume 64, Issue 4, pp 349–356 | Cite as

Synergistic Effect Between Two Bacteriocin-like Inhibitory Substances Produced by Lactobacilli Strains with Inhibitory Activity for Streptococcus agalactiae

  • Francisco O. Ruíz
  • Gisela Gerbaldo
  • María J. García
  • Walter Giordano
  • Liliana Pascual
  • Isabel L. Barberis
Article
First Online:
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Accepted:

Abstract

Group B streptococci (GBS) are bacterial species that colonize the vagina in pregnant women and as such may cause serious infections in neonates that passed through the birth channel. The objective of this work was to study the inhibitory activities produced by each bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance (BLIS) of Lactobacillus rhamnosus L60 and Lactobacillus fermentum L23, and the effects of the combined BLIS-es of these lactobacilli on GBS. The interactions between the BLIS-es were assessed by qualitative and quantitative methods on agar plates. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and fractional inhibitory concentrations (FICs) were determined by a modification of the broth microdilution and checkerboard methods, respectively. Antibiotic susceptibilities of all S. agalactiae strains were assayed and the results of these tests were evaluated for statistical significance. A 7.5% of GBS isolates were recovered from 760 pregnant women and 91% of those strains were susceptible to each BLIS produced by L. fermentum, L. rhamnosus, and also to a mixture of them. The comparisons among the BLIS-es showed statistically significant differences, with a combination of the BLIS-es from the two Lactobacillus species being better than the BLIS of each one alone (P < 0.05) as GBS growth inhibitors. Synergistic activities between the BLIS-es were found on 100% of susceptible GBS strains, MICs ranges of BLIS of L23 and L60 were 80–160 and 160–320 UA ml−1, respectively. By the checkerboard method, the BLIS-es combination showed synergistic effect on all sensitive strains tested, with values of FICs ranging from 0.131 to 0.218. The BLIS-es produced by these lactobacilli of vaginal origin were able to inhibit S. agalactiae isolates. The results indicate that these strains may have probiotic potential for the control of GBS in women and may consequently prevent GBS infections in newborns.

Keywords

Lactobacillus Inhibition Zone Lactobacillus Strain Fractional Inhibitory Concentration Streptococcus Agalactiae 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Notes

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Secretaría de Ciencia y Técnica Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina. F.O. Ruíz has a doctoral fellowship from CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), Argentina. The authors thank Dr. M. Philipp from TNPRC, Tulane University, LA, US, for editing the manuscript.

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012

Authors and Affiliations

  • Francisco O. Ruíz
    • 1
  • Gisela Gerbaldo
    • 1
  • María J. García
    • 1
  • Walter Giordano
    • 2
  • Liliana Pascual
    • 3
  • Isabel L. Barberis
    • 1
  1. 1.Departamento Microbiología e InmunologíaUniversidad Nacional de Río Cuarto (UNRC)Río CuartoArgentina
  2. 2.Departamento de Biología MolecularUNRCRío CuartoArgentina
  3. 3.Departamento Microbiología e Inmunología, Facultad de Ciencias, Exactas, Fco-Qcas y NaturalesUniversidad Nacional de Río Cuarto (UNRC)Río CuartoArgentina

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