Using simulated wound conditions as a model for studying Enterococcus faecalis wound infections and biofilms in wounds
Enterococcus faecalis is a bacteria found in GI tract, mouth, and vaginal infections. It is able to form biofilms and displays antibiotic resistance, contributing to its virulence. E. faecalis is often found in infected wounds, but little research has been conducted into biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance in wounds. In vitro experiments do not always reflect the wound environment, but in vivo animal experiments come with challenges. Instead, simulated wound conditions can be used to study differences in the genes required for biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance in different wound conditions. It was hypothesized that biofilm formation would differ across different simulated wound environments compared to normal media used to grow E. faecalis. Biofilm assays were conducted to analyze growth of E. faecalis in two different simulated wound fluids, as well as in aerobic and anaerobic conditions, and with or without antibiotic. Our study found that planktonic growth in simulated wound fluid (SWF) #1 was significantly lower than in BHI media, while biofilm growth did not change significantly in any media type or environmental condition. E. faecalis also appeared to grow better in simulated wound fluid #2 than #1. Additionally, SWF #1 and anaerobic environments showed trends of inhibiting antibiotic function.