INHIBITION OF ADHESION OF CLOSTRIDIUM-DIFFICILE TO CACO-2 CELLS

For many microorganisms, including Clostridium difficile, mucosal asso ciation is an important factor influencing intestinal colonisation and subsequent infection. Inhibition of adhesion of C. difficile to intes tinal mucosa could be a new promising strategy for prevention and trea tment of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. We investigated the possibil ities of influencing the adhesion of C. difficile by xylitol and bovin e colostrum whey. Caco-2 cells and C. difficile cells were incubated w ith 1%, 5% and 10% solutions of xylitol and colostrum. Our study revea led that both xylitol and colostrum inhibited the adhesion of C. diffi cile to Caco-2 cells. Inhibition by xylitol was dose-dependent. When c ompared to the control, the count of adherent C. difficile decreased 3 .4 times when treated with 1% xylitol, 12 times when 5% xylitol was ap plied, and 18.7 times when treated with 10% xylitol. The inhibition of adherence by colostrum was partially dose-dependent: 3.1 times in the case of 1%, and 5.5 times in the cases of 5% and 10% colostrum. Furth er experimental and clinical studies are needed for the application of xylitol and colostrum in the treatment and prophylaxis of pseudomembr aneous colitis.