In situ monitoring of antibiotic susceptibility of bacterial biofilms in a microfluidic device

Lab Chip. 2010 Dec 7;10(23):3296-9. doi: 10.1039/c0lc00154f. Epub 2010 Oct 11.

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance of biofilms is a growing public health concern due to overuse and improper use of antibiotics. Thus, determining an effective minimal concentration of antibiotics to eradicate bacterial biofilms is crucial. Here we present a simple, novel one-pot assay for the analysis of antibiotic susceptibility of bacterial biofilms using a microfluidics system where continuous concentration gradients of antibiotics are generated. The results of minimal biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC) clearly confirm that the concentration required to eradicate biofilm-grown Pseudomonas aeruginosa is higher than the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) that has been widely used to determine the lowest concentration of antibiotics against planktonically grown bacteria.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacteria / metabolism*
  • Biofilms*
  • Kanamycin / pharmacology
  • Lab-On-A-Chip Devices*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests*
  • Microchip Analytical Procedures*
  • Microfluidics*
  • Plankton / metabolism
  • Quality Control
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Rhodamines / chemistry

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Rhodamines
  • Kanamycin
  • rhodamine B