Padronização do co-cultivo de Trichomonas vaginalis, Candida albicans e Lactobacillus crispatus : um novo método para caracterização da atividade antimicrobiana

Abstract

Trichomonas vaginalis is an extracellular flagellated protozoan that causes trichomoniasis, the most common nonviral sexually transmitted infection, associated to several complications mainly in asymptomatic carriers. Another vaginitis causative agent is Candida albicans, a member of normal vaginal microbiota that due an immune imbalance should cause vulvovaginal candidiasis, infection associated with recurrent cases. Causative vaginitis agents are associated to resistant-treatment isolates. Lactobacillus crispatus is a predominant member of normal vaginal microbiota responsible for antimicrobial substance production associated to protection of vaginal mucosa. In this study it was standardized the in vitro co-culture of T. vaginalis, C. albicans and L. crispatus, to mimetize in vivo polymicrobial vaginal environment in the infection site. Preliminary tests showed that MRS was the optime medium for co-culture, density of L. crispatus and C. albicans was 1x108 and 1x105 CFU/ml, respectively; T. vaginalis density was 1x105 trophozoites/ml. Biofilm formation and yeast-hyphae transition was not impacted by co-culture. Flow cytometry showed the presence of L. crispatus, C. albicans and T. vaginalis when all microorganisms were in co-culture. Furthers studies are necessary for validation of this platform, which may be used to accesses the interaction of co-culture members and to detect the antimicrobial activity of new molecules.