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Abstract
Aim: Determine the influence of pH on the inactivation efficiency of Candida albicans in pulsed electric fields (PEF) and evaluate the possibilities for sensitization of a drug-resistant strain to antifungal drugs. Materials & methods: The effects of PEF (2.5–25 kVcm-1) with fluconazole, terbinafine and naftifine were analyzed at a pH range of 3.0–9.0. Membrane permeabilization was determined by flow cytometry and propidium iodide. Results: PEF induced higher inactivation of C. albicans at low pH and increased sensitivity to terbinafine and naftifine to which the strain was initially resistant. Up to 5 log reduction in cell survival was achieved. Conclusion: A proof of concept that electroporation can be used to sensitize drug-resistant microorganisms was presented, which is promising for treating biofilm-associated infections.
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Financial & competing interests disclosure
This work was supported by Research Council of Lithuania, Towards Future Technologies Programme Grant Number LAT-02/2016. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.
Ethical conduct of research
The methods were approved by the Lithuanian Bioethics Committee, License Number 24 in accordance with principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations. In addition, for investigations involving human subjects, informed consent has been obtained from the participants involved. All applicable international, national and/or institutional ethical guidelines were followed.