Pseudomonas aeruginosa facilitates Campylobacter jejuni growth in biofilms under oxic flow conditions

Abstract

We investigated the growth of Campylobacter jejuni in biofilms with Pseudomonas aeruginosa under oxic flow conditions. We observed the growth of C. jejuni in mono-culture, deposited on pre-established P. aeruginosa biofilms, and co-inoculated with P. aeruginosa. In mono-culture, C. jejuni was unable to form biofilms. However, deposited C. jejuni continuously grew on pre-established P. aeruginosa biofilms for a period of 3 days. The growth of scattered C. jejuni clusters was strictly limited to the P. aeruginosa biofilm surface, and no intergrowth was observed. Co-culturing of C. jejuni and P. aeruginosa also enabled the growth of both organisms in biofilms, with C. jejuni clusters developing on the surface of the P. aeruginosa biofilm. Dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements in the medium showed that P. aeruginosa biofilms depleted the effluent DO from 9.0 to 0.5 mg L(-1) 24 hours after inoculation. The localized microaerophilic environment generated by P. aeruginosa promoted the persistence and growth of C. jejuni. Our findings show that P. aeruginosa not only prolongs the survival of C. jejuni under oxic conditions, but also enables the growth of C. jejuni on the surface of P. aeruginosa biofilms.

Keywords: Campylobacter jejuni; Pseudomonas; immunofluorescence; microaerophilic; oligotrophic environment; pathogen persistence.