Table 5.

Inhibitory activity of acid cell-free supernatant from Bifidobacterium longum BB536 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 in combination using the agar diffusion method (ADM) and the broth dilution method (BDM).

Candida strains	Supernatant aBBHN-CFS#
	ADMa	BDMb
Reference strains
Candida albicans ATCC 90028	+	++
Candida krusei ATCC 6258	+	++
Candida parapsilosis ATCC 22019	+	++
Clinical isolates from vaginal swabs
Candida albicans 1-V	+	+
Candida albicans 2-V	++	++
Candida glabrata 1-V	+	+
Candida krusei 1-V	+	++
Clinical isolates from rectal swabs
Candida albicans 1-R	+	+
Candida albicans 2-R	+	+
Candida glabrata 1-R	+	+
Candida krusei 1-R	+	++
Candida tropicalis 1-R	+	+

^#Cell-free supernatant was obtained after 96 h of incubation from broth culture of Bifidobacterium longum BB536 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 grown in combination (aBBHN-CFS).

^aFor the agar diffusion method (ADM) +++ (very strong): diameter of inhibition zone ≥20.0 mm; ++ (strong): diameter of inhibition zone (20.0, 15.0] mm; + (weak): diameter of inhibition zone (15.0, 10.0] mm; - (no activity): diameter of inhibition zone <10.0 mm; punch diameter = 8.0 mm.

^bFor the broth dilution method (BDM) +++ (very strong): ≤12.5% v/v; ++ (strong): 25.0% v/v; + (weak): 50.0% v/v; - (no activity): >50.0% v/v.