The protective effect of Lactobacillus plantarum against meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections: an experimental animal model
Abstract
Objective:
To determine and quantitatively measure the protective and/or therapeutic effect of Lactobacillus plantarum (LP) application on a burn wound before and after the onset of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection.
Method:
Third-degree scald burns affecting 10% of body surface area were formed on the back of five groups of rats. Group 1 was designated as the control group. In Group 2, LP was applied immediately after the burn and then MRSA inoculated. In Group 3, MRSA was applied immediately after the burn and then LP inoculated. Groups 4 and 5 were designated as controls of LP and MRSA. On the fifth and tenth days, bacterial loads and compositions were assessed by tissue biopsies.
Results:
Each group contained seven rats (n=35). In Group 2, MRSA colony counts were found to be significantly lower compared with the other groups (p<0.05). In Group 3, MRSA colony counts were not found to be significantly different compared with control groups (p>0.05).
Conclusion:
LP was shown to have a protective role in noninfected, burn wounds when applied before MRSA infection but a therapeutic effect of LP was not demonstrated. LP is thought to have a promising role in the prevention and treatment of burn wound infections.
Wound infections are major causes of morbidity and mortality in burn patients. Health status, nutritional state, immune competency of the host, and the amount of necrotic and granulation tissue in the burn wound are the main host-related factors causing burn wound infections.1 The ratio of pathogenic to non-pathogenic bacteria, the pathogenic bacterial load and virulence factors are the microorganism-related features that affect burn wound infections.1 These host-related factors and pathogenic features of the microorganisms are the major targets in the prevention and treatment of burn wound infections.
Even though burn wound surfaces are devoid of bacteria immediately following the burn, these wounds can become colonised with Gram-positive bacteria that survive within sweat glands and hair follicles.1,2 Within a week, Gram-negative bacteria begin to replace Grampositive bacteria by translocation of intestinal flora through contact and/or direct spreading.3
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