Inhibition and Removal of Mature Mixed-Bacteria Biofilms on Voice Prostheses by Sodium Selenite

Abstract

Purpose

Biofilms on voice prostheses are important factors shortening their service life. Sodium selenite has been used to prevent and treat various diseases. Whether sodium selenite can inhibit and remove mature biofilms on voice prostheses is still unknown.

Methods

To verify the effects of sodium selenite on mature mixed-bacteria biofilms (Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, and Streptococcus faecalis) on voice prostheses, we used quantitative and qualitative methods, eg, real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, crystal violet staining, 2,3-bis(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide) (XTT) reduction assays, and scanning electron microscopy, to measure the effects of sodium selenite on the number of bacterial colonies, biofilm formation ability, metabolic activity, and ultrastructure in a model of mature mixed-bacteria biofilms on voice prostheses and validated the effects in vitro on mature biofilms on voice prostheses from patients.

Results

When exploring the possible mechanism of biofilm inhibition and removal by sodium selenite, we found that it significantly inhibited and removed biofilms on voice prostheses and effectively destroyed the spatial structure of the biofilms. The inhibition and removal effects became more significant with increasing sodium selenite concentrations.

Conclusion

We demonstrated that sodium selenite can inhibit and remove biofilms of mature mixed strains on voice prostheses, providing a novel basis for treating patients’ voice prosthesis biofilms.

Keywords:

• sodium selenite
• voice prostheses
• mature biofilms
• mixed strains on voice prostheses
• remove
• inhibit

View correction statement:

Inhibition and Removal of Mature Mixed-Bacteria Biofilms on Voice Prostheses by Sodium Selenite [Corrigendum]

Ethics Approval and Informed Consent

This study was approved by the ethics committee of Peking Union Medical College Hospital (ethics approval no. JS2084) and conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and all patients signed informed consent forms.

Disclosure

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences under Grant number XDA1601040201 and the Nature Science Foundation of Beijing under Grant number 7192171.