Muñoz Egea, Mari CarmenJi, PanPruden, AmyFalkinham, Joseph O. III2017-09-202017-09-202017-09-14Muñoz Egea, M.C.; Ji, P.; Pruden, A.; Falkinham III, J.O. Inhibition of Adherence of Mycobacterium avium to Plumbing Surface Biofilms of Methylobacterium spp.. Pathogens 2017, 6, 42.http://hdl.handle.net/10919/79354Both <i>Mycobacterium</i> spp. and <i>Methylobacterium</i> spp. are opportunistic premise plumbing pathogens that are found on pipe surfaces in households. However, examination of data published in prior microbiological surveys indicates that <i>Methylobacterium</i> spp. and <i>Mycobacterium</i> spp. tend not to coexist in the same household plumbing biofilms. That evidence led us to test the hypothesis that <i>Methylobacterium</i> spp. in biofilms could inhibit the adherence of <i>Mycobacterium avium</i>. Measurements of adherence of <i>M. avium</i> cells to stainless steel coupons using both culture and PCR-based methods showed that the presence of <i>Methylobacterium</i> spp. biofilms substantially reduced <i>M. avium</i> adherence and vice versa. That inhibition of <i>M. avium</i> adherence was not reduced by UV-irradiation, cyanide/azide exposure, or autoclaving of the <i>Methylobacterium</i> spp. biofilms. Further, there was no evidence of the production of anti-mycobacterial compounds by biofilm-grown <i>Methylobacterium</i> spp. cells. The results add to understanding of the role of microbial interactions in biofilms as a driving force in the proliferation or inhibition of opportunistic pathogens in premise plumbing, and provide a potential new avenue by which <i>M. avium</i> exposures may be reduced for at-risk individuals.application/pdfenCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 InternationalMycobacterium aviumMethylobacteriumadherencebiofilm formationArticle - Refereed2017-09-20https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens6030042