The Interkingdom Interaction with <i>Staphylococcus</i> Influences the Antifungal Susceptibility of the Cutaneous Fungus <i>Malassezia</i>
Juan Yang, Sung‐Min Park, Hyun Ju Kim, Sang Jun Lee, Won Hee Jung
Abstract
Analysis of the microbial community in the human body has revealed that fungi reside with other microbes, such as bacteria, protists, and viruses, within the community. This observation has led to several studies investigating the intra-or inter-kingdom interactions between microbial members influencing skin health and diseases For example, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aspergillus fumigatus often share the host niche, such as the airways of cystic fibrosis patients, and the interkingdom between the microorganisms is likely to occur within the same ecological site. In this scenario, P. aeruginosa produces metabolites, such as quorum sensing molecules and siderophores, that possess antifungal activity Furthermore, studies have reported the effect of bacteria on the antifungal susceptibility of pathogenic fungi. The interaction between Staphylococcus epidermidis and Candida albicans, co-colonizers of the skin, has also been investigated, especially in a mixed biofilm format. Fluconazole diffusion was retained, but no difference in susceptibility of C. albicans to the drug was observed in polymicrobial biofilms A direct influence of secreted enzymes, such as proteinase, from the major skinassociated fungus Malassezia on the biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus, a noteworthy skin opportunistic bacterial pathogen, was also demonstrated experimentally