Role of fatty acids as environmental regulator on Proteus mirabilis swarming and biolfilm formation in catheterassociated urinary tract infection

ABSTRACT

Proteus mirabilis is a common cause of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection [CAUTI]. Aim of the Work This study evaluates the effect of addition of stearic, plamitic and myristic acids, to Luria Bertani [LB] culture medium on swarming, biofilm formation and exopolysaccharide [EPS] production. Thirty clinical isolates of P. mirabilis were obtained from 300 urine samples collected from catheterized Egyptian patients. Myristic [0.01%] and palmitic [0.02%] acids could inhibit swarming and EPS production significantly. Myristic acid is the only one that significantly inhibited biofilm formation, but lowering the concentration increased biofilm formation insignificantly. Also myristic acid inhibited swarming and EPS production in a dose-dependent manner. Palmitic acid had no significant effect on biofilm formation. On the other hand, stearic acid [0.005%] significantly enhanced swarming and EPS production with no significant effect on biofilm formation. The inhibitory effect of these fatty acids enhances their practical application as inexpensive tools for development of novel catheters, which could be more resistant to P. mirabilis CAUTIs