Abstract
Due to the looming spread of resistance to classical antimicrobial agents, innovative therapeutic methods are in dire need to combat the onslaught of resistant bacterial pathogens. This study examines the antimicrobial efficacy of a phytochemical and a metallic nanoparticle against the top Gram positive resistant pathogen. The potential synergy of these two agents was also evaluated. The antibacterial activity of thymol and silver nanoparticles were tested individually using disc diffusion technique. The extent of synergy of their combination was evaluated using the checkerboard assay. Twenty clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus characterized as methicillin resistant or methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus were utilized and the extent of synergism was calculated from fractional inhibitory concentration indices. Thymol exhibited an antistaphylococcal activity regardless of whether the isolates were phenotypically resistant or sensitive to methicillin. Combining thymol with silver nanoparticles resulted in at least additive or synergistic effect for all the examined strains and methicillin resistant strains were inhibited in the combinatorial assays to a greater extent comparative to when silver nanoparticles or thymol were used singly. Key words: Silver nanoparticles, thymol, Staphylococcus aureus, synergy, fractional inhibitory concentration index.
Highlights
The everlasting battle between humans and infectious diseases causing pathogens continues
Twenty clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus characterized as methicillin resistant or methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus were utilized and the extent of synergism was calculated from fractional inhibitory concentration indices
Spherical, non-aggregated nanoparticles were observed in the TEM micrograph with a diameter range of 21 to 41 nm with an average particle size of 26.9 nm and polydispersity index of 0.73 (Figure 2)
Summary
The everlasting battle between humans and infectious diseases causing pathogens continues. Emerging at the front line of challenges to human health is bacterial resistance and its alarming spread. This ongoing rise in resistance is critically threatening the immeasurable medical advancements made possible by antibiotics over the past 70 years (WHO, 2014). Multi-drug resistantmethicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MDR-MRSA) is a constantly evolving paradigmatic pathogen. More than 95% MRSA worldwide do not respond to first line antibiotics and resistance has even evolved to the more recent antimicrobial agents like linezolid, vancomycin, teicoplanin and daptomycin (Kaur and Chate, 2015)
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