The Bacteriology/Parasitology Core will provide vaginal cultures for facultative and anaerobic microorganisms in support of projects 1 (Patton, primate model) and 3 (Klebanoff, H2O2-peroxidase-halide), as well as cultures for Trichomonas vaginalis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae for the clinical core (Watts). This core, which will be directed by Dr. Sharon Hillier, the project P.I., will act as the centralized in vitro testing laboratory for microbicidal compounds. Microorganisms to be tested in vitro include sexually transmitted disease agents (N. gonorrhoeae and T. vaginalis), as well as constituents of the normal flora including Lactobacillus, Gardnerella vaginalis, Prevotella species, and group B Streptococcus. The effects of microbicidal compounds on pathogens including E. coil, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans will also be evaluated. This core activity will provide information on the effects of microbicide concentration, length of exposure and pH on the in vitro killing observed. This information will be relevant to project 2 (McDougall, organotypic cultures model) for choosing the product concentration and length of microbicide exposure which is relevant for further testing. These studies will be compared to in vivo data generated in the monkey model (project 1). The Bacteriology/ Parasitology Core will provide in vitro testing of antimicrobial lipid mixtures generated by project 4 (Isaacs) to predict their range of specificity. This core is relevant to all four proposed projects and will provide novel insights into in vitro activity of microbicidal compounds tested after clinically relevant lengths of exposure, at pH ranges found in the vagina, at various concentrations, and in the presence or absence of blood.
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