Effects of ceragenins and conventional antimicrobials on Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus mono and multispecies biofilms

It is known that synergy between Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus results in enhanced biofilm formation and increased resistance to antimicrobials. Ceragenins (CSAs) are derivatives of cholic acid designed to mimic the antimicrobial activities of endogenous antimicrobial peptides. In this study, various CSAs were tested on C. albicans and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus or methicillin-resistant S. aureus mono or multispecies biofilms at 2 different concentrations (16 and 64 μg/mL) and compared with conventional antimicrobials. CSA-8 was active agent both with mono and multispecies biofilms (P < 0.05). Among antifungals, amphotericin B and, among antibacterials, ciprofloxacin and gentamicin were active agents against all studied microorganisms. This study suggests that CSAs, especially CSA-8, have useful antibiofilm effects against monomicrobial or fungal–bacterial multispecies biofilms.