Biofilm formation with Mycobacterium massiliense strains presenting smooth and rough phenotypes isolated from outbreaks and environmental sources

• Grant number: 08/07409-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2009
• End date: August 31, 2010
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Biology and Physiology of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Sylvia Luisa Pincherle Cardoso Leão
• Grantee: Jéssica Maria Moreno Rodrigues de Lima
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 06/01533-9 - Mycobacteria of medical significance in Brazil: molecular characterization, interaction with the environment and with macrophages, AP.TEM

Abstract

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are ubiquitous bacteria equipped to sustain extremes of temperature and lack of nutrient. They can also resist to several disinfectants and antimicrobials. Several NTM species have been associated to biofilms in surgical equipment and water systems in the hospital environment and this has important direct implications in epidemiology, survival in the environment and resistance to biocides and antimicrobials. In this project strains of rapidly-growing mycobacteria, specially from the species Mycobacterium massiliense, isolated from an outbreak of infections affecting more than 310 patients submitted to laparoscopic and plastic surgeries and mesotherapy in Belem (PA) and non-related strains to compare genes responsible for biofilm formation and the capacity of biofilm formation of strains with different phenotypes. (AU)