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theses

Bacterial vaginosis is one of the most prevalent vaginal infections in women of child-bearing age and is caused by the shift of healthy lactobacilli to anaerobic pathogenic bacteria including Gardnerella vaginalis. While current antibiotic treatments were initially effective there is increasing evidence of resistance as well as damage to normal flora. The papers herein address the usage of bacteriocins for the purpose of indicating methods of more efficiently inhibiting G. vaginalis while having little effect on normal flora. (i) is a review on the current landscape of antibiotics and posits that bacteriocins present a viable option as either synergists to current antibiotics or as potential next generation option. (ii) is a research paper on the interaction of four antimicrobials (lauramide arginine, ε-poly-L-lysine, clindamycin phosphate and metronidazole) and subtilosin against G. vaginalis and four clinical isolates of lactobacilli. The combinations of CS and MS were synergistic in terms of FICI while all tested combinations displayed Bliss synergy against G. vaginalis. (iii) is a research paper in which a polyethylene glycol (PEG) gel with passively entrapped subtilosin was shown to cause a 8 log10 CFU/ml reduction of G. vaginalis with quantities < 15 μg/mL of subtilosin in a bimodal release kinetic in OD595 endpoint experiments. No inhibition of lactobacilli spp. was observed. Rheological properties were also recorded, indicating the gel is appropriate for vaginal application. (iv) is a polycarbophil Carbopol® 934P hydrogel which encapsulates benzoyl peroxide capable of inhibiting G. vaginalis but not normal vaginal lactobacilli. Gels with 0.01% v/v of BPO inhibited G. vaginalis while gels with 2.5% v/v of BPO inhibited tested lactobacilli in direct contact time kill assays and well diffusion assays. Rheological tests indicated that the gel was ideal for human usage and that the addition of BPO did not alter its physiochemical properties. (v) is a review that discusses bacteriocins and their usage in delivery systems. Each paper is linked through the ideas that of bacteriocins (i, ii, iii, v), bacteriocins and BV (ii, iii), BV (ii, iii, iv) or drug delivery systems (ii, iii, iv, v).

ETD_5725

M.S.

Includes bibliographical references

by Veronica L. Cavera

doi:10.7282/T3251GN4

ETD graduate

The author owns the copyright to this work.