Insights into urinary catheter colonisation and polymicrobial biofilms of Candida- bacteria under flow condition

Abstract Most hospital-acquired urinary tract infections are the result of implanted urinary catheter, with majority of studies focused on a single species colonisation, but recently polymicrobial colonisations are being reported. In this study, indwelling urinary catheters were collected from ICU p...

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Main Authors: Purvi Joshi, Rohit Bhattacharjee, Muskan Sahu, Devarshi Gajjar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00457-w
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author Purvi Joshi
Rohit Bhattacharjee
Muskan Sahu
Devarshi Gajjar
author_facet Purvi Joshi
Rohit Bhattacharjee
Muskan Sahu
Devarshi Gajjar
author_sort Purvi Joshi
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Most hospital-acquired urinary tract infections are the result of implanted urinary catheter, with majority of studies focused on a single species colonisation, but recently polymicrobial colonisations are being reported. In this study, indwelling urinary catheters were collected from ICU patients and the colonising microbiome was isolated and identified by the traditional; culturing method and metagenomics. It was observed that majority of catheters were colonised by polymicrobial biofilms, containing both bacterial and fungal isolates making them diverse and complex. However, the metagenomics results were quite surprising showing the presence of multiple organisms of which only 1or 2 showed growth when cultured. Later, in vitro assays were performed by selecting 6 combinations, with each combination containing one Candida spp. – C. albicans or C. tropicalis with one bacteria K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa or E. coli. It was observed that polymicrobial biofilms were stronger than mono-microbial biofilms, suggesting their increased surface adhesion. Furthermore, to simulate the dynamic environment in which cells are exposed to a certain level of fluid movement, a flow system was established to imitate the flow generated in colonized urinary catheter. We have observed changes in biofilm architecture, adhesion and thickness under flow conditions compared with static conditions, with a uniformly adhered biofilm with increased thickness of polymicrobial biofilms as compared to mono-species biofilms. The biofilm formed under flow was more viable than the static biofilm with higher number of live cells in flow condition.
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spelling doaj-art-1aabf88c3ee74f99ba40a1c447ccb9b82025-08-20T02:11:22ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111710.1038/s41598-025-00457-wInsights into urinary catheter colonisation and polymicrobial biofilms of Candida- bacteria under flow conditionPurvi Joshi0Rohit Bhattacharjee1Muskan Sahu2Devarshi Gajjar3Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology Centre, Faculty of Science, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of BarodaDepartment of Microbiology and Biotechnology Centre, Faculty of Science, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of BarodaDepartment of Microbiology and Biotechnology Centre, Faculty of Science, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of BarodaDepartment of Microbiology and Biotechnology Centre, Faculty of Science, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of BarodaAbstract Most hospital-acquired urinary tract infections are the result of implanted urinary catheter, with majority of studies focused on a single species colonisation, but recently polymicrobial colonisations are being reported. In this study, indwelling urinary catheters were collected from ICU patients and the colonising microbiome was isolated and identified by the traditional; culturing method and metagenomics. It was observed that majority of catheters were colonised by polymicrobial biofilms, containing both bacterial and fungal isolates making them diverse and complex. However, the metagenomics results were quite surprising showing the presence of multiple organisms of which only 1or 2 showed growth when cultured. Later, in vitro assays were performed by selecting 6 combinations, with each combination containing one Candida spp. – C. albicans or C. tropicalis with one bacteria K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa or E. coli. It was observed that polymicrobial biofilms were stronger than mono-microbial biofilms, suggesting their increased surface adhesion. Furthermore, to simulate the dynamic environment in which cells are exposed to a certain level of fluid movement, a flow system was established to imitate the flow generated in colonized urinary catheter. We have observed changes in biofilm architecture, adhesion and thickness under flow conditions compared with static conditions, with a uniformly adhered biofilm with increased thickness of polymicrobial biofilms as compared to mono-species biofilms. The biofilm formed under flow was more viable than the static biofilm with higher number of live cells in flow condition.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00457-w
spellingShingle Purvi Joshi
Rohit Bhattacharjee
Muskan Sahu
Devarshi Gajjar
Insights into urinary catheter colonisation and polymicrobial biofilms of Candida- bacteria under flow condition
Scientific Reports
title Insights into urinary catheter colonisation and polymicrobial biofilms of Candida- bacteria under flow condition
title_full Insights into urinary catheter colonisation and polymicrobial biofilms of Candida- bacteria under flow condition
title_fullStr Insights into urinary catheter colonisation and polymicrobial biofilms of Candida- bacteria under flow condition
title_full_unstemmed Insights into urinary catheter colonisation and polymicrobial biofilms of Candida- bacteria under flow condition
title_short Insights into urinary catheter colonisation and polymicrobial biofilms of Candida- bacteria under flow condition
title_sort insights into urinary catheter colonisation and polymicrobial biofilms of candida bacteria under flow condition
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00457-w
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AT rohitbhattacharjee insightsintourinarycathetercolonisationandpolymicrobialbiofilmsofcandidabacteriaunderflowcondition
AT muskansahu insightsintourinarycathetercolonisationandpolymicrobialbiofilmsofcandidabacteriaunderflowcondition
AT devarshigajjar insightsintourinarycathetercolonisationandpolymicrobialbiofilmsofcandidabacteriaunderflowcondition