Antifungal Activities of Alcaligenes Faecalis Palm Wine Isolate in Mice Model Vaginal Candidiasis

Abstract

Alcaligenes faecalis is a food borne transient microbe which has been reported to possess some antifungal properties. A. faecalis was assessed in vivo for use as a vaginal antifungal agent for the control of vaginal candidiasis. Fifty, three weeks old mice were used for the in vivo tests. Groups A and B were healthy and infected without treatment groups respectively. A 20 µl aliquot of 12.8 x 10⁶ cfu/ml of C. albicans was used to elicit vaginal infections. Suppository clotrimazole was used as antifungal agent to control the infection in Group C mice, while a 20 µl aliquot of 10.8 x 10⁸ cfu/ml of A. faecalis was infused into Groups D and E test mice and were used for treatment and prophylaxis of the infection respectively. Candidal counts, immunomodulatory roles of A. faecalis and vaginal histology were monitored through the experimental periods. There was a significant decrease (p≤0.05) in the candidal counts for groups C, D and E test mice. There was also significant increase (p≤0.05) in the white blood cell, lymphocyte and neutrophil counts of these same mice groups. Histopathology examination showed that A. faecalis could restore and also maintain normal vaginal architecture in Groups D and E respectively. These research findings show that A. faecalis possesses antifungal and immunomodulatory potentials for the control of vaginal cadidiasis infection.