Inhibition of Adherence of Mycobacterium avium to Plumbing Surface Biofilms of Methylobacterium spp.

Abstract

Both Mycobacterium spp. and Methylobacterium spp. are opportunistic premise plumbing pathogens that are found on pipe surfaces in households. However, examination of data published in prior microbiological surveys indicates that Methylobacterium spp. and Mycobacterium spp. tend not to coexist in the same household plumbing biofilms. That evidence led us to test the hypothesis that Methylobacterium spp. in biofilms could inhibit the adherence of Mycobacterium avium. Measurements of adherence of M. avium cells to stainless steel coupons using both culture and PCR-based methods showed that the presence of Methylobacterium spp. biofilms substantially reduced M. avium adherence and vice versa. That inhibition of M. avium adherence was not reduced by UV-irradiation, cyanide/azide exposure, or autoclaving of the Methylobacterium spp. biofilms. Further, there was no evidence of the production of anti-mycobacterial compounds by biofilm-grown Methylobacterium spp. cells. The results add to understanding of the role of microbial interactions in biofilms as a driving force in the proliferation or inhibition of opportunistic pathogens in premise plumbing, and provide a potential new avenue by which M. avium exposures may be reduced for at-risk individuals.

Ecological Analyses of Mycobacteria in Showerhead Biofilms and Their Relevance to Human Health

“…It has been suggested that mycobacteria should be less abundant in biofilm samples dominated by methylotrophs, particularly Methylobacterium spp. ( 37 , 38 ). In contrast to this expectation, we found that showerheads with higher abundances of Methylobacterium did not necessarily have lower proportional abundances of mycobacteria ( Fig.…”

Contact Effect of a Methylobacterium sp. Extract on Biofilm of a Mycobacterium chimaera Strain Isolated from a 3T Heater-Cooler System

“…In our study, the effect of the Methylobacterium extract did not compromise M. chimaera adherence. By contrast, other Methylobacterium strains have been found to exert an anti-adherent effect on Mycobacterium avium [35]. According to our results, the action of the Methylobacterium extract adhered on a surface takes place after the mycobacterial adherence.…”

“…is currently being developed [32,33]. Methylobacterium is a genus from Alphaproteobacteria isolated by Patt et al [34] that is a strictly aerobic bacterium and forms small rose colonies at its optimal growth temperature (25 • C) and usually inhabits water distribution systems [32,35]. Some strains of Methylobacterium genus have already demonstrated antibacterial effect against different microorganisms, both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria [36][37][38], including mycobacteria [33], and fungi [36].…”

Precision public health to inhibit the contagion of disease and move toward a future in which microbes spread health

“…The technical means and value of increasing spatial and temporal resolution in other areas of public health, such as ensuring healthy drinking water [16] and optimal transformation of sewage [17] or compost, [18] will not be covered here.…”