Can Lactobacillus acidophilus influence the adhesion capacity of Candida albicans on the combined contraceptive vaginal ring?

Chassot, Francieli; Camacho, Daiane P.; Patussi, Eliana Valéria; Donatti, Lucélia; Svidzinski, Terezinha I.E.; Consolaro, Márcia E.L.

doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2009.12.011

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Volume 81, Issue 4 , Pages 331-335, April 2010

Can Lactobacillus acidophilus influence the adhesion capacity of Candida albicans on the combined contraceptive vaginal ring?

Francieli Chassot
- Division of Clinical Cytology, Teaching and Research in Clinical Analysis Laboratory, State University of Maringá, Maringá, 87020-900 Paraná, Brazil
Daiane P. Camacho
- Clinical Analysis Laboratory, UNINGA - Unit Teaching Superior of Maringá, 87070-000, Paraná, Brazil
Eliana Valéria Patussi
- Division of Medical Mycology, Teaching and Research in Clinical Analysis Laboratory, State University of Maringá, Maringá, 87020-900 Paraná, Brazil
Lucélia Donatti
- Department of Cell Biology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, 85131-990 Paraná, Brazil
Terezinha I.E. Svidzinski
- Division of Medical Mycology, Teaching and Research in Clinical Analysis Laboratory, State University of Maringá, Maringá, 87020-900 Paraná, Brazil
Márcia E.L. Consolaro
- Division of Clinical Cytology, Teaching and Research in Clinical Analysis Laboratory, State University of Maringá, Maringá, 87020-900 Paraná, Brazil
- Corresponding author. Department of Clinical Analysis, State University of Maringá, Maringá, 87020-900 Paraná, Brazil. Tel.: +55 44 3261 4795; fax: +55 44 3261 4860.

Received 27 February 2009; received in revised form 10 December 2009; accepted 11 December 2009. published online 25 January 2010.

Abstract

Background

This study was conducted to evaluate the influence of Lactobacillus acidophilus on the adhesion capacity of Candida albicans on the combined contraceptive vaginal ring (CCVR).

Study Design

Two vaginal isolates of C. albicans and an ATCC strain of lactobacilli were used. Isolated and associated yeasts and bacteria (co-aggregated) were employed on the CCVR adherence assays and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Results

Isolated yeasts and lactobacilli adhered strongly to the CCVR. After the co-aggregation, there were an increase in adhesion capacity of the yeasts (p<.001) and a diminished adhesion of the lactobacilli (p<.001). SEM showed the isolated and co-aggregated microorganisms intimately attached to the irregularities of the CCVR.

Conclusions

If these findings correlated with the conditions in vivo, the use of probiotics based on L. acidophilus or its presence in the vaginal microbiota would not protect against the adhesion of C. albicans to the ring.

Keywords: Contraceptive vaginal ring, Adherence, Probiotics, Candida albicans, Lactobacillus acidophilus