Evaluation of mixed biofilm production by Candida spp. and Staphylococcus aureus strains co-isolated from cystic fibrosis patients in northwest Algeria.

Cystic fibrosis patients' lungs are chronically colonized by multiple microbial species capable of forming biofilms. This study aimed to characterize the polymicrobial biofilm formed by Candida spp. and S. aureus, co-isolated from sputum samples of cystic fibrosis patients regarding microbial density, metabolic activity, and structure. 67 samples from 28 patients were collected with a 96% alteration rate. 34% showed alterations by both Candida spp. and Gram-positive bacteria, predominantly Candida spp. and S. aureus in 77% of cases, accounting for 6 associations. Biofilm biomass was quantified using the crystal violet assay, and metabolic activity was assessed using the MTT reduction assay. Scanning electron microscopy analyzed the C. tropicalis/S. aureus24 biofilm architecture. Candida spp. isolates demonstrated the ability to form mixed biofilms with S. aureus. The C. tropicalis/S. aureus24 association exhibited the highest production of biofilm and metabolic activity, along with the C. albicans17/C. rugosa/S. aureus7 in both single and mixed biofilms.

Initial characteristics of cystic fibrosis in Algeria: Description of 34 pediatric cases.

BACKGROUND: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a rare disease in Algeria, and its prognosis is poor in developing countries. The clinical and demographic knowledge of Algerian pediatric patients diagnosed with CF is incomplete due to the nonexistence of a national medical registry. Hence, the present study is the first Algerian multicentre study on CF. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted in western Algeria. Over 1 year, the study included all pediatric patients with a confirmed diagnosis of CF in the pediatric hospital of Oran. Patient characteristics, clinical manifestations, and the prescribed treatment were reported. RESULTS: Thirty-four children (16 boys and 18 girls) participated in this study. Only 15 were diagnosed before the age of 6 months. The sweat chloride test was positive in all patients. Respiratory manifestations were found in all patients, chronic diarrhoea in 29 of them, and growth retardation in 10. Moreover, 25 (73.5%) had low to low intermediate socioeconomic levels. After diagnosis, respiratory complications marked the evolution of the 34 patients, with bronchial congestion observed in 33 of them, while 10 (29.4%) patients presented severe bronchopneumonia and 4 (11.8%) were affected by asthma. Consequently,  three (8.8%) died at an average age of 9 years mainly because of respiratory failure. CONCLUSION: The prognosis of CF is poor in Algeria compared to other developed countries due to the longer diagnostic delay and limited therapeutic alternatives. This representative subset of Algerian pediatric patients with CF will serve as a reference for future studies on CF in Algeria.