Abstract
Candida albicans is capable of forming biofilms on a variety of inert and biological surfaces. Cells in biofilms display phenotypic properties that are radically different from their free-floating planktonic counterparts, including their recalcitrance to antimicrobial agents. Consequently, Candida biofilm-associated infections are difficult to treat and to fully eradicate with standard antifungal therapy. Here, we describe a simple, fast, inexpensive and highly reproducible microtiter plate-based assay for the antifungal susceptibility testing of C. albicans biofilms. Because of its simplicity, compatibility with widely available 96-well microplate platform, high throughput, and automation potential, this assay represents an important tool towards the standardization of in vitro antifungal susceptibility testing of fungal biofilms.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Costerton, J. W., Lewandowski, Z., Caldwell, D. E., Korber, D. R., and Lappin-Scott, H. M. (1995) Microbial biofilms. Annu. Rev. Microbiol. 49, 711–745.
Chandra, J., Mukherjee, P. K., Leidich, et al. (2001) Antifungal resistance of candidal biofilms formed on denture acrylic in vitro. J. Dent. Res. 80, 903–908.
Baillie, G. S., and Douglas, L. J. (1999) Candida biofilms and their susceptibility to antifungal agents. Methods Enzymol 310, 644–656.
Ramage, G., VandeWalle, K., Wickes, B. L., and Lopez-Ribot, J. L. (2001) Characteristics of Biofilm Formation by Candida albicans. Rev. Iberoam. Micol. 18, 163–170
Douglas, L. J. (2003) Candida biofilms and their role in infection. Trends Microbiol. 11, 30–36.
Costerton, J. W., Stewart, P. S., and Greenberg, E. P. (1999) Bacterial biofilms: a common cause of persistent infections. Science 284, 1318–1322
Gilbert, P., Das, J., and Foley, I. (1997) Biofilm susceptibility to antimicrobials. Adv. Dent. Res. 11, 160–167
Ramage, G., Wickes, B. L., and Lopez-Ribot, J. L. (2001) Biofilms of Candida albicans and their associated resistance to antifungal agents. Am. Clin. Lab. 20, 42–44.
National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards. (1997) Reference Method for Broth Dilution Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Yeasts: Approved Standard. NCCLS Document M27-A. National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards, Wayne, PA.
Ghannoum, M. A., Rex, J. H., and Galgiani, J. N. (1996) Susceptibility testing of fungi: current status of correlation of in vitro data with clinical outcome. J. Clin. Microbiol. 34, 489–495.
Ramage, G., Vande Walle, K., Wickes, B. L., and Lopez-Ribot, J. L. (2001) Standardized method for in vitro antifungal susceptibility testing of Candida albicans biofilms. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 45, 2475–2479.
Ramage, G., VandeWalle, K., Bachmann, S. P., Wickes, B. L., and Lopez-Ribot, J. L. (2002) In vitro pharmacodynamic properties of three antifungal agents against preformed Candida albicans biofilms determined by time-kill studies. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 46, 3634–3636.
Tellier, R., Krajden, M., Grigoriew, G. A., and Campbell, I. (1992) Innovative endpoint determination system for antifungal susceptibility testing of yeasts. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 36, 1619–1625
Hawser, S. P., Norris, H., Jessup, C. J., and Ghannoum, M. A. (1998) Comparison of a 2,3-bis(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-5-[(phenylamino)carbonyl]-2H-t etrazolium hydroxide (XTT) colorimetric method with the standardized National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards method of testing clinical yeast isolates for susceptibility to antifungal agents. J. Clin. Microbiol. 36, 1450–1452
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2005 Humana Press Inc.
About this protocol
Cite this protocol
Ramage, G., López-Rib, J.L. (2005). Techniques for Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Candida albicans Biofilms . In: Ernst, E.J., Rogers, P.D. (eds) Antifungal Agents. Methods in Molecular Medicine™, vol 118. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-943-5:071
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-943-5:071
Publisher Name: Humana Press
Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-277-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-943-1
eBook Packages: Springer Protocols