INVESTIGATION OF VAGINAL LACTOBACILLUS WITH ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY ON CANDIDA ALBICANS

INTRODUCTION: The human vaginal microbiota is mainly composed of bacteria such as Lactobacillus spp., as well as fungi of the genus Candida. It is hypothesized that the presence of Lactobacillus is related to the maintenance of a healthy vaginal microbiota and when the balance with the host is disrupted, yeasts can proliferate and lead to the development of a clinical condition known as Vulvovaginal Candidiasis (CVV). Thus, this study aimed to investigate vaginal lactobacillus with antifungal activity against vaginal isolates of Candida albicans. methods: The screening of the antifungal activity was performed through the antagonism test using the overlay method, as well as the inhibitory activity on some virulence properties of C. albicans, such as: coaggregation, adhesion to HeLa cells, biofilm in formation and preformed biofilm. In this study, three reference strains of species related to the genus Lactobacillus were used: L. fermentum ATCC 23271, L. rhamnosus ATCC 9595 and L. paracasei ATCC 335 and 42 isolated from the genital tract of asymptomatic patients (without CVV) and two strains of C. albicans: C. albicans ATCC 90028 and C. albicans SC 5314 and 3 vaginal clinical isolates. findings: In the antagonism test only L. fermentum ATCC 23271, L. fermentum JAC 231, L. plantarum MDBL 269 and L