Antibacterial Effects of Recombinant Endolysins in Disinfecting Medical Equipment: A Pilot Study.

Yoon-Jung Choi,Shukho Kim,Yoonjung Kim,Jungmin Kim,Sohyun Bae,Hyun-Ha Chang

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2021.773640

Yoon-Jung Choi, Shukho Kim + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.773640

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Abstract

Nosocomial infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria are severe life-threatening factors. Endolysins (lysins) degrade the bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan and may help control pathogens, especially MDR bacteria prevalent in hospital settings. This study was conducted to verify the potential of lysin as disinfectant to kill bacteria contaminating medical devices that cause hospital infections. Eight catheters removed from hospitalized patients were collected and tested for their ability to kill bacteria contaminating the catheters using two lysins, LysSS and CHAP-161. Catheter-contaminating bacterial species were isolated and identified by 16s rRNA sequencing. From the eight catheters, bacteria were cultured from seven catheters, and five bacterial species (Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus muralis, Corynebacterium striatum, Enterococcus faecium, and Staphylococcus epidermidis) were identified. LysSS could inhibit catheter-contaminating bacteria, including C. striatum and S. epidermidis, compared with untreated controls but could not inhibit the growth of E. faecium. CHAP-161 showed more bactericidal effects than LysSS, but could not inhibit the growth of S. epidermidis. This study showed the potential of lysin as an alternative disinfectant for hazardous chemical disinfectants used in hospitals.

Highlights

Healthcare-associated infection (HAI) is a major life-threatening factor in developed countries, and the importance of preventing HAI is increasing
The major nosocomial infectious bacteria are S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and Enterococci (Haque et al, 2018; Leitão, 2020). These bacteria have acquired multidrug resistance and stick to surfaces of medical equipment as biofilm, which is super resistant to conventional antibiotics and disinfectants (Jett et al, 1994; Li et al, 2018)
Bacteriophage-encoded endolysins are enzymes that act by digesting the peptidoglycan of bacterial cell walls

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Healthcare-associated infection (HAI) is a major life-threatening factor in developed countries, and the importance of preventing HAI is increasing. Recombinant LysSS protein developed from SS3e bacteriophage genome showed antibacterial activity against MDR A. baumannii, MDR E. coli, MDR Klebsiella pneumoniae, MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella sp., and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) (Kim et al, 2012, 2020c). Recombinant LysSAP26 protein developed from SAP26 bacteriophage genome inhibited the growth of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii, carbapenemresistant E. coli, carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae, carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa, MRSA, and vancomycinresistant E. faecium (Rahman et al, 2011; Kim et al, 2020a). We expect these lysins help control pathogens, especially MDR bacteria prevalent in hospital settings. Eight catheters removed from hospitalized patients were collected and tested for their ability to kill bacteria contaminating the catheters using two lysins, LysSS and CHAP-161

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ETHICS STATEMENT