Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus are common human pathogens, frequently isolated independently or co-isolated from bloodstream infections, and able to form dense polymicrobial biofilms on various medical devices resulting in strong resistance to conventionally used antimicrobials. New and innovative approaches are therefore needed to ensure the successful management of biofilm related infections. In this study, a chalcone-based derivative and a polycyclic anthracene-maleimide adduct, previously ascertained by us as inhibitors of C. albicans and S. aureus growths, respectively, were reconsidered in a new perspective by evaluating the efficacy of a combined treatment against a polymicrobial biofilm. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses were carried out to delve into their inhibitory potential on the polymicrobial population. Our results indicate that these newly identified antimicrobials are effective in reducing the biomass of the mixed C. albicans-S. aureus biofilm and the viability of fungal-bacterial cells within the polymicrobial community; in addition, confocal laser scanning microscopy demonstrates that the combined treatment thoroughly modifies the architecture of the dual-species biofilm.

白色念珠菌和金黄色葡萄球菌是常见的人类病原体，经常从血流感染中独立或共同分离，并且能够在各种医疗器械上形成致密的多微生物生物膜，从而对常规使用的抗菌剂产生很强的抵抗力。因此，需要新的创新方法来确保成功管理生物膜相关感染。在这项研究中，一种基于查耳酮的衍生物和一种多环蒽 - 马来酰亚胺加合物，我们之前确定为白色念珠菌和金黄色葡萄球菌的抑制剂通过评估针对多微生物生物膜的联合治疗的功效，分别以新的视角重新考虑了生长。进行了定量和定性分析以深入研究它们对多微生物种群的抑制潜力。我们的结果表明，这些新发现的抗菌剂可有效减少混合白色念珠菌-S的生物量。金黄色葡萄球菌生物膜和多微生物群落内真菌-细菌细胞的活力；此外，共聚焦激光扫描显微镜表明，联合治疗彻底改变了双物种生物膜的结构。