Isolation, Identification, and Evaluation of Antagonistic Activity of Nasal Bacteria against Fungi causing Nasal Infections

Nasal fungal infections are increasingly challenging to manage due to the side effects associated with conventional antifungal agent. This study aimed to isolate, identify, and evaluate the antagonistic activity of nasal bacteria against these fungal pathogens to explore microbiota-based alternatives for infection control. Fungal pathogens, including Aspergillus flavus, Mucor mucedo, and Fusarium oxysporum, were collected from the microbiology lab, and nasal swabs were collected from healthy individuals and cultured with the isolation of five bacterial isolates, including Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus sp., Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Enterococcus sp. The antagonistic activity of these bacteria was tested against the fungal pathogens using a plate inhibition assay. Bacillus sp. exhibited the highest inhibition with 55%, 65%, and 58%, followed by Staphylococcus epidermidis with 42%, 58%, and 48%, and Micrococcus luteus with 32%, 40%, and 29% against Aspergillus flavus, Mucor mucedo, and Fusarium oxysporum, respectively. Lower inhibition was observed in Staphylococcus aureus with 28%, 35%, and 25%, and Enterococcus sp. with 18%, 25%, and 15% against the same fungal pathogens, respectively. This research suggests that nasal bacteria, especially Bacillus sp., have potential as biotherapeutic agents in managing fungal nasal infections, which could provide a sustainable alternative to traditional antifungal drugs.