Preventive Activity of Paroxetine Against the Formation of Mixed Biofilms of Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus on Peripheral Venous Catheters

Abstract Catheters are often sources of bloodstream infections since they promote the development of polymicrobial biofilms composed of Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus , which are resistant to conventional treatments. Paroxetine (PRX), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, has demonstrated antibiofilm activity against both C. albicans and S. aureus . However, studies evaluating PRX’s activity against polymicrobial biofilms remain scarce. Consequently, we investigated the activity of PRX against mixed biofilms of C. albicans and S. aureus , as well as its potential to prevent the formation of such biofilms on peripheral venous catheters. Our findings revealed that PRX not only prevented biofilm formation but also significantly reduced both the viability and biomass of these structures, possibly by disrupting the polysaccharide matrix. When impregnated in peripheral venous catheters, PRX also inhibited the excessive growth of microbial communities, making it a potentially effective agent to modulate the structure and susceptibility of multispecies biofilms, expanding its spectrum of action to more complex clinical scenarios associated with medical devices.