β‐1,3 Glucan as a Test for Central Venous Catheter Biofilm Infection
Departments of Medicine and of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Biofilms are microbial communities that are associated with solid surfaces such as intravascular catheters. Candida species are a major cause of medical device–associated infections. Twenty percent to 70% of all candidemias are associated with this biofilm process. Diagnosis and effective treatment of Candida device‐associated infections requires removal of the involved device. The ability to identify a biofilm device infection before catheter removal may obviate removal of a substantial number of devices. Prior studies in our laboratory identified cell wall changes (specifically, increased β‐1,3 glucan) associated with biofilm, compared with planktonic C. albicans. Both in vitro and in vivo (catheter) biofilm models were used to determine whether biofilm cells secreted more β‐1,3 glucan and whether these differences could be used to discern the presence of a Candida biofilm infection with 3 species (C. albicans, C. glabrata, and C. parapsilosis). A limulus lysate assay was used to quantify β‐1,3 glucan in supernatants from planktonic or biofilm cultures and in the serum of rats with an intravascular catheter biofilm infection or disseminated candidiasis. β‐1,3 glucan was detected from both in vitro and in vivo models from each condition. However, the concentrations of β‐1,3 glucan from the biofilm conditions were 4–10‐fold greater in vitro (
) and were 10‐fold greater in vivo (
), despite equal or fewer numbers of cells in the biofilm conditions. These results suggest the secreted polysaccharide β‐1,3 glucan may serve as a useful tool for the diagnosis of Candida biofilm and device‐associated infections.
Received 30 October 2006; accepted 21 December 2006; electronically published 17 April 2007.
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Potential conflicts of interest: none reported.