Anti-adhesion and antibiofilm activities of Lavandula mairei humbert essential oil against Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from hospital intensive care units.

This study aimed to assess, for the first time, the anti-adhesion and antibiofilm effects of Lavandula mairei Humbert essential oil against multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii . Scanning electron microscope was used for visualizing its antibiofilm activity and the effect of this oil on surface physicochemical parameters was examined as a possible anti-adhesive target. Chemical analysis of Lavandulaa mairei essential oil showed a high content of carvacrol composition (79.12%). The oil tested exhibited antibacterial efficacy with inhibition diameters of 33 to 37.33 mm and minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations of 1.56 µl ml -1 . The oil inhibited adhesion by 83.66%, detach 73.30% of adherent cells and eliminated 64.02% of the biofilm compared to the untreated control. Lavandula mairei essential oil has proven its possible application as a preventive strategy by intervening in the initial adhesion of Acinetobacter baumannii to polystyrene.