Evaluation of the antibacterial effect of hydroalcoholic extract of the galls of Quercus infectoria on Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans

Background

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) plays a vital role in some destructive forms of periodontitis. While mechanical and chemical plaque control is the first step in periodontitis treatment, side effects of adjunctive chemical agents such as chlorhexidine (CHX) mouthwash have led to the application of natural alternatives with minimal side effects. Therefore, this study evaluated the antibacterial effect of the hydroalcoholic extract of Quercus infectoria (Qi) galls on Aa in vitro.

Methods

The hydroalcoholic extract of Qi was obtained by the maceration method, and Aa bacterial strain was cultured. The inhibition zone diameter was measured through the agar well diffusion method. Also, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values were determined by the broth microdilution method. All the experiments were repeated three times. 0.2% CHX was used as a control.

Results

The inhibition zone diameter of Aa increased with increasing concentration of Qi extract. While MIC and MBC values for CHX were 0.0039 and 0.0078 mg/mL, respectively, both MIC and MBC values of the Qi extract for this bacterium were similar, i.e., 2.5 mg/mL, which was significantly higherd.

Conclusion

Since other in vivo studies have confirmed the other properties of this extract and its safety in terms of cytotoxicity and mutagenicity, hydroalcoholic extract of Qi may be used in mouthwashes or local delivery systems to affect periodontal biofilm.

Fast killing kinetics, significant therapeutic index, and high stability of melittin-derived antimicrobial peptide

The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria is a major challenge for antimicrobial chemotherapy. Concerning this issue, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been presented as novel promising antibiotics. Our previous de novo designed melittin-derived peptides (MDP1 and MDP2) indicated their potential as peptide drug leads. Accordingly, this study was aimed to evaluate the kinetics of activity, toxicity, and stability of MDP1 and MDP2 as well as determination of their structures. The killing kinetics of MDP1 and MDP2 demonstrate that all bacterial strains were rapidly killed. MDP1 and MDP2 were ca. 100- and 26.6-fold less hemolytic than melittin and found to be respectively 72.9- and 41.6-fold less cytotoxic than melittin on the HEK293 cell line. MDP1 and MDP2 showed 252- and 132-fold improvement in their therapeutic index in comparison to melittin. MDP1 and MDP2 sustained their activities in the presence of human plasma and were found to be ca. four to eightfold more stable than melittin. Spectropolarimetry analysis of MDP1 and MDP2 indicates that the peptides adopt an alpha-helical structure predominantly. According to the fast killing kinetics, significant therapeutic index, and high stability of MDP1, it could be considered as a drug lead in a mouse model of septicemia infections.

Rapid detection and molecular survey of blaVIM, blaIMP and blaNDM genes among clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii using new multiplex real-time PCR and melting curve analysis

Background

Acinetobacter baumannii is a cosmopolitan bacterium that is frequently reported from hospitalized patients, especially those patients who admitted in the intensive care unit. Recently, multiplex real-time PCR has been introduced for rapid detection of the resistance genes in clinical isolates of bacteria. The current study aimed to develop and evaluate multiplex real-time PCR to detect common resistance genes among clinical isolates of A. baumannii.

Results

Multiplex real-time PCR based on melting curve analysis showed different T_m corresponding to the amplified fragment consisted of 83.5 °C, 93.3 °C and 89.3 °C for blaIMP, blaVIM and blaNDM, respectively. Results of multiplex real-time PCR showed that the prevalence of blaIMP, blaVIM and blaNDM among the clinical isolates of A. baumannii were 5/128(3.9%), 9/128(7.03%) and 0/128(0%), respectively. Multiplex real-time PCR was able to simultaneously identify the resistance genes, while showed 100% concordance with the results of conventional PCR.

Conclusions

The current study showed that blaVIM, was the most prevalent MBL gene among the clinical isolates of A. baumannii while no amplification of blaNDM was seen. Multiplex real-time PCR can be sensitive and reliable technique for rapid detection of resistance genes in clinical isolates.

Evaluation of Clarithromycin Resistance Among Iranian Helicobacter pylori Isolates by E-Test and Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Methods

Background

Helicobacter pylori is an important pathogen of human gastric mucosa. Antibiotic resistance, especially resistance to clarithromycin is a major factor for treatment failure of H. pylori infections. The main mechanism of clarithromycin resistance in these bacteria is related to point mutations in three different locations of 23S rRNA gene.

Objectives

The aims of this study were to evaluate the resistance rate to clarithromycin among local H. pylori isolates by the E-test method and to determine the profile of point mutation in 23S rRNA by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method.

Patients and Methods

Eighty biopsy samples were collected from dyspeptic patients by endoscopy during 2011 - 2012. All samples were homogenized immediately and cultured on supplemented brucella blood agar and incubated under microaerophilic conditions. Further biochemical tests and ureC gene PCR was done for H. pylori confirmation. The H. pylori OC1096 strain was used as the control strain, simultaneously. Frequency of clarithromycin resistance was determined by the E-test method based on the clinical and laboratory standard institute (CLSI) standards. Point mutation profile was determined by real-time PCR and further analysis of melting curve, amplicon sequencing was done continuously.

Results

From 80 biopsy samples, 20 positive H. pylori isolates were detected and confirmed by biochemical tests and PCR method. Overall, 21.7% of the H. pylori isolates, showed clarithromycin resistance phenotype by use of the E-test. Also, the minimal inhibitory concentration of clarithromycin was determined as ≥ 0.5 mg/L by the E-test method. Only point mutation in the location of A2143G with melting temperature of 54.7°C was observed in all resistant isolates.

Conclusions

This study showed that the frequency of H. pylori clarithromycin resistance in Iran is relatively high. Since clarithromycin is not commonly used in Iran for H. pylori eradication, the high rate of resistance could be related to cross-reactivity between other macrolides. Therefore, macrolide antibiotics must be prescribed with precaution in any case of treatment other than H. pylori infections. All resistant isolates showed A2143G mutation in 23S rRNA as the dominant pattern of point mutation at least in Tehran H. pylori isolates.

Comparing invasive and non-invasive of isolated Shigella flexneri by electron microscopy of cell culture, SDS-PAGE and Congo red method

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to compare invasive and non-invasive strains of Shigella flexneri isolated from Tehran by a 120 kDa protein band by SDS-PAGE, electron microscopy of cell culture and Congo red dye methods.

METHODS

S. flexneri strains were isolated by standard bacterial methods from fecal specimens of children attending to the 3 children's hospitals. Phenotype analysis for screening virulent of strains of S. flexneri was done on a plate of tryptic soy agar contained 0.003% Congo red dye. Whole membrane protein preparations were used to examine the protein profiles of the inner and outer membrane of these Gram-negative bacteria. The protein mixture was electrophoresed through a polyacrylamide gel. The gel was stained with Coomassie brilliant blue R250 and destained with ethanol and acetic acid. HeLa cell culture was done by two-step preparations: one for light microscopy and the other for electron microscopy.

RESULTS

Some of S. flexneri (46%) were Congo red positive colonies. S. flexneri with negative Congo red phenotype could not enter the HeLa cell culture. A 120 kDa protein band was found in 46% of these bacteria which could enter into HeLa cell culture. Pseudopod structures which facilitate bacterial cell-to-cell spread were readily identified by electron microscopy.

DISCUSSION

Since the existence of 120-kDa protein band was corresponded to enter of S. flexneri into the HeLa cell culture and correlated with Congo red dye positive, for identification of invasive and non-invasive S. flexneri strains, the use of a 120-kDa protein band by SDS-PAGE or a simple, rapid and very cheap Congo red dye method is recommended. Because, there are some deaths due to Shigella sp. in our country, notification on the isolation of these bacteria in both children hospitals laboratories and private clinical laboratories is important.