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Screening Of Crude Microalgal Extracts For Antimicrobial Activity, Patrick Matulich

Theses & Dissertations

Microbial biofilm associated infections are a significant threat to patients with medical devices and are partially responsible for the increased resistance seen in nosocomial infections. The biofilm chemical and physical properties restrict access of chemotherapeutic agents. Therefore, there is a need to enhance the antimicrobial effects of current chemotherapeutic agents. Microalgae live in competitive environments that include film-forming, opportunistic pathogens S. maltophilia and C. albicans. Extracts from 5 diverse species of microalgae were screened for antimicrobial enhancing effects against established biofilms with two different extraction solvents, 3:1 hexanes and isopropyl (HIPA) and 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MTHF).

Three species, B. braunii, …