Search

Combining different antimicrobial agents has emerged as a promising strategy to enhance efficacy and address resistance evolution. In this study, we investigated the synergistic antimicrobial effect of a cationic biobased polymer and the antimicrobial peptide (AMP) temporin L, with the goal of developing multifunctional electrospun fibers for potential biomedical applications, particularly in wound dressing. A clickable polymer with pendent alkyne groups was synthesized by using a biobased itaconic acid building block. Subsequently, the polymer was functionalized through click chemistry with thiazolium groups derived from vitamin B1 (PTTIQ), as well as a combination of thiazolium and AMP temporin L, resulting in a conjugate polymer-peptide (PTTIQ-AMP). The individual and combined effects of the cationic PTTIQ, Temporin L, and PTTIQ-AMP were evaluated against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as Candida species. The results demonstrated that most combinations exhibited an indifferent effect, whereas the covalently conjugated PTTIQ-AMP displayed an antagonistic effect, potentially attributed to the aggregation process. Both antimicrobial compounds, PTTIQ and temporin L, were incorporated into poly(lactic acid) electrospun fibers using the supercritical solvent impregnation method. This approach yielded fibers with improved antibacterial performance, as a result of the potent activity exerted by the AMP and the nonleaching nature of the cationic polymer, thereby enhancing long-term effectiveness.

Here, we report the development of antibacterial and compostable electrospun polylactic acid (PLA) fibers by incorporation of a multifunctional biobased polymer in the process. The multifunctional polymer was synthesized from the bio-sourced itaconic acid building block by radical polymerization followed by click chemistry reaction with hydantoin groups. The resulting polymer possesses triazole and hydantoin groups available for further N-alkylation and chlorination reaction, which provide antibacterial activity. This polymer was added to the electrospinning PLA solution at 10 wt %, and fiber mats were successfully prepared. The obtained fibers were surface-modified through the accessible functional groups, leading to the corresponding cationic triazolium and N -halamine groups. The fibers with both antibacterial functionalities demonstrated high antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. While the fibers with cationic surface groups are only effective against Gram-positive bacteria ( Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus ), upon chlorination, the activity against Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa is significantly improved. In addition, the compostability of the electrospun fibers was tested under industrial composting conditions, showing that the incorporation of the antibacterial polymer does not impede the disintegrability of the material. Overall, this study demonstrates the feasibility of this biobased multifunctional polymer as an antibacterial agent for biodegradable polymeric materials with potential application in medical uses., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2022 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Objective: We describe and analyze Listeria-related demographics and clinical features to determine the predisposing conditions for severe infections., Methods: We performed a retrospective study using positive isolation of Listeria monocytogenes from blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and other organic fluids. Electronic health records were used to determine the epidemiological and clinical features of infections caused by L. monocytogenes. Mortality and sepsis were considered dependent variables in the statistical analyses., Results: We included 41 patients in an observation period of 15 years (2003-2018), with an annual incidence rate of 1.3 cases per 100,000 population. Three main population profiles were identified: newborns, pregnant women, and other adults (17.1%, 12.2%, and 82.9%, respectively). Neuroinvasive infection was present in 17 patients (41.5%). In both univariate and multivariate analyses, neurological infections, whether meningoencephalitis, rhombencephalitis, or brain abscesses, were the main risk factors for severe forms of Listeria-related infections (odds ratio 1.8, 95% CI 1.52-2.14, p=0.01). Malignancies, whether solid tumors or hematological neoplasms, immunosuppression, and chronic diseases were not related to either mortality or severe clinical syndromes., Conclusion: Infections caused by L. monocytogenes were uncommon but could cause severe sepsis and mortality, especially in susceptible populations. Our study focused on neurological involvement and severe invasive forms of listeriosis. Neuroinvasive forms were the most important risk factors for severe illness but not for mortality., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: We evaluated the in vitro activity of the combination of ceftaroline with daptomycin, linezolid and vancomycin against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CNS)., Material and Methods: We analysed 70 staphylococcal strains (31 S. aureus and 39 CNS) with the Etest using the MIC:MIC ratio method and calculation of fractional inhibitory concentration indexes., Results: The combination of ceftaroline with daptomycin showed an additive effect (53.2%) and synergy (6.6%) against methicillin-susceptible S. aureus, and an additive effect (81.2%) against methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). This combination also showed an additive effect against 33% of linezolid-susceptible CNS and was not synergistic against linezolid-resistant CNS. The combination of ceftaroline with vancomycin was synergistic (87%) and ceftaroline with linezolid was additive (37%) against MRSA., Conclusions: The combinations of ceftaroline with daptomycin, vancomycin or linezolid showed additive and/or synergistic effects against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.)

Carbapenems-resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates has been widely reported. Fosfomycin has been shown to act synergistically with other antimicrobials. The agar dilution method was approved for susceptibility testing for fosfomycin and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. However, broth microdilution methods are the basis of systems currently used in clinical microbiology laboratories. The results of this study indicate that these methods are acceptable as susceptibility testing methods for fosfomycin against these organisms., (Copyright © 2016. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.)

Introduction: The increase in microorganisms showing patterns of multi-drug resistance or even pan-drug resistance is of growing concern. Fosfomycin (FO) is well known to be active against a wide variety of microorganisms, including highly resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), and can also synergistically act with other molecules., Methods: This study examines the in vitro activity shown by FO against 120 strains of carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa using an agar dilution and a gradient diffusion test. Possible synergistic effects of the combinations of FO/amikacin and FO/ciprofloxacin were also examined using E-test and time-kill techniques., Results: According to the epidemiological cut-off value (ECOFF) issued by the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST), our results indicate that over three-quarters of the strains tested would be susceptible to FO treatment, especially if combined with another antimicrobial. The FO/ciprofloxacin combination had a synergistic effect on 40% of the clinical isolates, while for FO/amikacin this effect was only observed in 12% of the isolates., Conclusion: The appearance of carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa strains requires the evaluation by combination therapy. This report suggests that the FO/ciprofloxacin combination can be useful, showing a synergistic effect in 40% of the isolates., (Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U.)