Antibacterial activity of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus casei against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a multidrug-resistant microorganism and the principal nosocomial pathogen worldwide. The antibacterial activity of lactic acid bacteria against MRSA from ten human clinical isolates as well as MRSA standard strain ATCC 43300 was tested in vitro. The Lactobacillus (Lb.) strains (Lb. acidophilus CD1285 (R) and Lb. casei LBC80R) as pure cultures, which came from commercial food products were employed. The growth inhibitory effect produced by the antimicrobial activity of the lactic acid bacteria on the MRSA strains was tested on solid medium using agar diffusion methods as well as a using a liquid medium procedure that contained a mixture of MRSA and lactic acid bacteria cultures. In the latter instance, we were able to demonstrate that the direct interaction of lactic acid bacteria and MRSA in such a mixture led to the elimination of 99% of the MRSA cells after 24 h of their incubation at 37 degrees C. (C) 2009 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.