Evaluation of Antibacterial Activity of Two Different Honeys against Clinical Isolates of β-hemolytic Streptococci Group A

Introduction: The aim of this investigation was to evaluate in vitro antibacterial activity of horse chestnut honey and acacia honey at different concentrations against clinical isolates of the β- hemolytic streptococci group A (BHS-A). Honey’s active compounds have multiple therapeutic effects and it is used as traditional medicine for treatment and prevention of various illnesses. Materials and methods: The antimicrobial effects of two honeys were tested on forty-four strains of BHS-A, isolated from the throat by a modified disk diffusion method. A bacterial suspension of BHSA strains was plated onto Müller-Hinton agar with 5% defibrinated horse blood. Using a sterile 8 mm diameter cork borer, wells were cut in the agar and into each was introduced 100µL of the different concentrations of the honey solution (25 %v/v, 50 %v/v, 75% v/v and 100%v/v). A disk of penicillin was added as the positive control. The plates were incubated aerobically for18-24 hours at 36 (± 1)°C and zones of inhibition were measured. Results: The average diameter of the inhibition zones of acacia honey (100 %v/v) was 12.48 mm ± 1.73 mm, for acacia honey (75 %v/v) it was 11.06 mm±1.24 mm and for horse chestnut honey (100 %v/v) it was 11.08 mm ± 1.02 mm. The positive control showed the average diameter of 30.45 mm ± 3.21 mm. Statistical significance (p < 0.05) was observed comparing the zone diameters of the acacia honey (100%) and antibiotic penicillin, and between the horse chestnut honey (100%) and antibiotic penicillin. Conclusion: Acacia and horse chestnut honeys exhibit limited but effective antibacterial activity upon clinical isolates of BHS-A. (Kotris I, Talapko J, Drenjančević D. Evaluation of Antibacterial Activity of Two Different Honeys against Clinical Isolates of β-hemolytic Streptococci Group A

The effect of subminimal inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics on the adherence ability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to epithelial cells in vitro

Background and purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the influence of subminimal inhibitory concentrations (subMICs) of ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin and gentamicin on the adherence ability and morphology of wild-type Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains to the Buffalo green monkey kidney cell line, using indirect immunofluorescence staining. Materials and methods: Bacterial adherence changes were tested before and after exposure to 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16 and 1/32 MIC of antibiotics. Results: A statistical difference in the number of attached bacteria after exposure to all subMICs of ceftazidime and ciprofloxacin was observed (p&lt;0.05), even after only 1/2 MIC of gentamicin. Conclusion: The results of this study have shown that antibiotics in much lower concentrations than those necessary for inhibition of bacterial multiplications could damage the adherence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to the epithelial cell line

The effect of subminimal inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics on the adherence ability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to epithelial cells in vitro

Background and purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the influence of subminimal inhibitory concentrations (subMICs) of ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin and gentamicin on the adherence ability and morphology of wild-type Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains to the Buffalo green monkey kidney cell line, using indirect immunofluorescence staining. Materials and methods: Bacterial adherence changes were tested before and after exposure to 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16 and 1/32 MIC of antibiotics. Results: A statistical difference in the number of attached bacteria after exposure to all subMICs of ceftazidime and ciprofloxacin was observed (p Conclusion: The results of this study have shown that antibiotics in much lower concentrations than those necessary for inhibition of bacterial multiplications could damage the adherence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to the epithelial cell line.</p

The effect of subminimal inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics on the adherence ability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to epithelial cells in vitro

Background and purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the influence of subminimal inhibitory concentrations (subMICs) of ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin and gentamicin on the adherence ability and morphology of wild-type Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains to the Buffalo green monkey kidney cell line, using indirect immunofluorescence staining. Materials and methods: Bacterial adherence changes were tested before and after exposure to 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16 and 1/32 MIC of antibiotics. Results: A statistical difference in the number of attached bacteria after exposure to all subMICs of ceftazidime and ciprofloxacin was observed (p&lt;0.05), even after only 1/2 MIC of gentamicin. Conclusion: The results of this study have shown that antibiotics in much lower concentrations than those necessary for inhibition of bacterial multiplications could damage the adherence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to the epithelial cell line

Identification of microorganisms on mobile phones of intensive care unit health care workers and medical students in the tertiary hospital

Aim To identify and investigate a difference between microorganisms present on intensive care unit (ICU) health care workers’ (HCW, doctors, nurses or medical technicians) and medical students’ mobile phones as well as to investigate a difference between the frequency and the way of cleaning mobile phones. Methods Fifty swabs were collected from HCWs who work in the ICU (University Hospital Centre Osijek) and 60 swabs from medical students (School of Medicine, University of Osijek). Microorganisms were identified according to standard microbiological methods and biochemical tests to the genus/species level. Results Out of 110 processed mobile phones, mobile phones microorganisms were not detected on 25 (22.7%), 15 (25%) students’ and 10 (20%) HCW’s mobile phones. No statistically significant difference was found between the number of isolated bacteria between the HCW’ and students’ mobile phones (p>0.05). Statistically significant difference was found between both HCW and students and frequency of cleaning their mobile phones (p<0.001). A significant difference was also obtained with the way of cleaning mobile phones between HCWs and students (p <0.001). Conclusion The most common isolated microorganisms in both groups were coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) and Staphylococcus aureus. Most HCWs cleaned their mobile phones at least once a week, 35 (52.0%), and most medical students several times per year, 20 (33.3%). HCW clean their mobile phones with alcohol disinfectant in 26 (40.0%) and medical students with dry cloth in 20 (33.3%) cases