Bactericidal Activity of Chrysomya rufifacies and Cochliomyia macellaria (Diptera: Calliphoridae) Larval Excretions–Secretions Against Staphylococcus aureus (Bacillales: Staphylococcaceae)

Abstract

Abstract The inhibitory effect of Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) and Cochliomyia macellaria (Fabricius) larval excretions–secretions (ES) on Staphylococcus aureus was determined using a portable colorimetric method without the need for any dedicated spectral instrument. Polystyrene 96 well microplates were used and 100 μl of the bacterial inoculum (5 × 105 CFU/ml) plus 100 μl of the dipteran exosecretions at different concentrations were added to each well. Subsequently, 50 μl of a 1% solution of the triphenyl tetrazolium chloride stain was added to each well to determine the bacterial viability. The color development in each well was measured with the ImageJ software S. aureus was exposed to different concentrations of the ES of both species individually. At a concentration of 800 ppm ES of C. rufifacies or Co. macellaria, bacterial growth was inhibited 97.45 ± 1.70% and 82.21 ± 1.88%, respectively. As expected, exposure to a lower concentration (i.e., 50 ppm) was less inhibitory (C. rufifacies ES, 77.65 ± 4.25% and Co. macellaria ES, 43.54 ± 4.63%). This study demonstrates for the first time the bactericidal activity of C. rufifacies and Co. macellaria ES against S. aureus. This finding is promising as it could result in the identification and synthesis of proteins capable of suppressing pathogen development in wounds. Additionally, the proposed method can simplify the use of expensive laboratory instruments for antimicrobial activity determination.