Antibacterial Effects and Cell Morphological Changes in Sfaphylococcus aureus Subjected to Low Ethanol Concentrations |
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| Authors: | SONIA A. BALLESTEROS JORGE CHIRIFE JUAN P. BOZZINI |
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| Affiliation: | Author Ballesteros is Becaria de Perfeccionamiento de la Universidad de Buenos Aires;author Chirife is with DeDartamento de Industrias, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, (1428) Buenos Aires, Argentina. Author Bozzini is with lnstituto Nacional de Microbiologia, Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán, Buenos Aires. |
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| Abstract: | Ethanol in low concentrations (5–10% weight) affected aerobic growth (at 37°C) of two strains of Stuphylococcus aureus. Growth inhibition in laboratory media was observed with ethanol about 6–7% weight water activities (aw) of ～0.97. This suggested that the ethanol antibacterial effect was not only from its aw lowering ability. Electron microscopy observations showed intense morphological modifications in cells in broth with 5% to 6.5% ethanol, and clearly indicated that cell wall changes of S. aureus was partly responsible for the antibacterial action of ethanol. |
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| Keywords: | Staphylococcus aureus antibacterial morphological ethanol water activity antimicrobial |
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