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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, June 2006, p. 4007-4011, Vol. 72, No. 6
0099-2240/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.02573-05
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Effect of Growth in Biofilms on Chlorine Susceptibility of Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium intracellulare

Keesha A. Steed and Joseph O. Falkinham III*

Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0406

Received 1 November 2005/ Accepted 29 March 2006

Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium intracellulare were grown in suspension and in biofilms, and their susceptibilities to chlorine were measured. M. avium and M. intracellulare readily adhered within 2 h, and numbers increased 10-fold in 30 days at room temperature in biofilms on both polystyrene flasks and glass beads. The chlorine resistance of M. avium and M. intracellulare cells grown and exposed to chlorine in biofilms was significantly higher than that of cells grown in suspension. Survival curves showed no evidence of a resistant, persisting population after 6 h of exposure to 1 µg chlorine/ml. The chlorine susceptibility of cells grown in biofilms and exposed in suspension (cells detached from bead surfaces) was also significantly higher than that of cells grown and exposed in suspension (planktonic cells), although it was lower than that of cells grown and exposed in biofilms. The higher resistance of the detached biofilm-grown cells was reversed upon their growth in suspension. There was a strong correlation between the chlorine susceptibility of cells of both M. avium and M. intracellulare and cell surface hydrophobicity measured by contact angle for both biofilm- and suspension-grown cells.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0406. Phone: (540) 231-5931. Fax: (540) 231-7126. E-mail: jofiii{at}vt.edu.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, June 2006, p. 4007-4011, Vol. 72, No. 6
0099-2240/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.02573-05
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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