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  1. Bujanda L, Nyssen OP, Ramos J, Bordin DS, Tepes B, Perez-Aisa A, et al.
    Am J Gastroenterol, 2024 Apr 01;119(4):646-654.
    PMID: 37983769 DOI: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000002600
    INTRODUCTION: Antibiotic resistance is one of the main factors that determine the efficacy of treatments to eradicate Helicobacter pylori infection. Our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of first-line and rescue treatments against H. pylori in Europe according to antibiotics resistance.

    METHODS: Prospective, multicenter, international registry on the management of H. pylori (European Registry on H. pylori Management). All infected and culture-diagnosed adult patients registered in the Spanish Association of Gastroenterology-Research Electronic Data Capture from 2013 to 2021 were included.

    RESULTS: A total of 2,852 naive patients with culture results were analyzed. Resistance to clarithromycin, metronidazole, and quinolones was 22%, 27%, and 18%, respectively. The most effective treatment, regardless of resistance, were the 3-in-1 single capsule with bismuth, metronidazole, and tetracycline (91%) and the quadruple with bismuth, offering optimal cure rates even in the presence of bacterial resistance to clarithromycin or metronidazole. The concomitant regimen with tinidazole achieved an eradication rate of 99% (90/91) vs 84% (90/107) with metronidazole. Triple schedules, sequential, or concomitant regimen with metronidazole did not achieve optimal results. A total of 1,118 non-naive patients were analyzed. Resistance to clarithromycin, metronidazole, and quinolones was 49%, 41%, and 24%, respectively. The 3-in-1 single capsule (87%) and the triple therapy with levofloxacin (85%) were the only ones that provided encouraging results.

    DISCUSSION: In regions where the antibiotic resistance rate of H. pylori is high, eradication treatment with the 3-in-1 single capsule, the quadruple with bismuth, and concomitant with tinidazole are the best options in naive patients. In non-naive patients, the 3-in-1 single capsule and the triple therapy with levofloxacin provided encouraging results.

    Matched MeSH terms: Drug Resistance, Microbial
  2. Hii SYF, Zaiful Bahrina NN, Mohd Zaidi MN, Hashim R, Ahmad N
    Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 2024 Feb;43(2):373-378.
    PMID: 37999783 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-023-04707-5
    Burkholderia pseudomallei is intrinsically resistant to many antibiotics. This study aimed to assess bacterial colony morphotypes and the validity of using disk diffusion method (DD) to determine antibiotic resistance in Malaysian clinical B. pseudomallei isolates for ceftazidime (CAZ), meropenem (MEM), amoxicillin-clavulanate (AMC) and doxycycline (DOX). DD produced good categorical agreements exhibiting concordance of 100% with reference method, broth microdilution for CAZ and DOX, 98.6% for MEM and 97.2% for AMC. Smooth-centred colonies were most frequently observed. EUCAST DD interpretative criterion is suitable to interpret B. pseudomallei CAZ, MEM, AMC and DOX resistance. Increasing AMC MIC in B. pseudomallei is a concern.
    Matched MeSH terms: Drug Resistance, Microbial
  3. Jampani M, Mateo-Sagasta J, Chandrasekar A, Fatta-Kassinos D, Graham DW, Gothwal R, et al.
    J Hazard Mater, 2024 Jan 05;461:132527.
    PMID: 37788551 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132527
    Antibiotics have revolutionised medicine in the last century and enabled the prevention of bacterial infections that were previously deemed untreatable. However, in parallel, bacteria have increasingly developed resistance to antibiotics through various mechanisms. When resistant bacteria find their way into terrestrial and aquatic environments, animal and human exposures increase, e.g., via polluted soil, food, and water, and health risks multiply. Understanding the fate and transport of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and the transfer mechanisms of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in aquatic environments is critical for evaluating and mitigating the risks of resistant-induced infections. The conceptual understanding of sources and pathways of antibiotics, ARB, and ARGs from society to the water environments is essential for setting the scene and developing an appropriate framework for modelling. Various factors and processes associated with hydrology, ecology, and climate change can significantly affect the fate and transport of ARB and ARGs in natural environments. This article reviews current knowledge, research gaps, and priorities for developing water quality models to assess the fate and transport of ARB and ARGs. The paper also provides inputs on future research needs, especially the need for new predictive models to guide risk assessment on AR transmission and spread in aquatic environments.
    Matched MeSH terms: Drug Resistance, Microbial/genetics
  4. Chen L, Kumar S, Wu H
    Arch Microbiol, 2023 Oct 20;205(11):356.
    PMID: 37863957 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-023-03699-2
    The emergence and transmission of antibiotic resistance is a global public health crisis with significant burden on healthcare systems, resulting in high mortality and economic costs. In 2019, almost five million deaths were associated with drug-resistant infections, and if left unchecked, the global economy could lose $100 trillion by 2050. To effectively combat this crisis, it is essential for all countries to understand the current situation of antibiotic resistance. In this review, we examine the current driving factors leading to the crisis, impact of critical superbugs in three regions, and identify novel mechanisms of antibiotic resistance. It is crucial to monitor the phenotypic characteristics of drug-resistant pathogens and describe the mechanisms involved in preventing the emergence of cross-resistance to novel antimicrobials. Additionally, maintaining an active pipeline of new antibiotics is essential for fighting against diverse antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Developing antibacterial agents with novel mechanisms of action is a promising way to combat increasing antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
    Matched MeSH terms: Drug Resistance, Microbial
  5. Husain Khan A, Abdul Aziz H, Palaniandy P, Naushad M, Cevik E, Zahmatkesh S
    Chemosphere, 2023 Oct;339:139647.
    PMID: 37516325 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139647
    Hospital wastewater has emerged as a major category of environmental pollutants over the past two decades, but its prevalence in freshwater is less well documented than other types of contaminants. Due to compound complexity and improper operations, conventional treatment is unable to remove pharmaceuticals from hospital wastewater. Advanced treatment technologies may eliminate pharmaceuticals, but there are still concerns about cost and energy use. There should be a legal and regulatory framework in place to control the flow of hospital wastewater. Here, we review the latest scientific knowledge regarding effective pharmaceutical cleanup strategies and treatment procedures to achieve that goal. Successful treatment techniques are also highlighted, such as pre-treatment or on-site facilities that control hospital wastewater where it is used in hospitals. Due to the prioritization, the regulatory agencies will be able to assess and monitor the concentration of pharmaceutical residues in groundwater, surface water, and drinking water. Based on the data obtained, the conventional WWTPs remove 10-60% of pharmaceutical residues. However, most PhACs are eliminated during the secondary or advanced therapy stages, and an overall elimination rate higher than 90% can be achieved. This review also highlights and compares the suitability of currently used treatment technologies and identifies the merits and demerits of each technology to upgrade the system to tackle future challenges. For this reason, pharmaceutical compound rankings in regulatory agencies should be the subject of prospective studies.
    Matched MeSH terms: Drug Resistance, Microbial
  6. Kho CJY, Lau MML, Chung HH, Chew IYY, Gan HM
    Curr Microbiol, 2023 Jun 25;80(8):255.
    PMID: 37356021 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-023-03354-5
    Unlike environmental P. koreensis isolated from soil, which has been studied extensively for its role in promoting plant growth, pathogenic P. koreensis isolated from fish has been rarely reported. Therefore, we investigated and isolated the possible pathogen that is responsible for the diseased state of Tor tambroides. Herein, we reported the morphological and biochemical characteristics, as well as whole-genome sequences of a newly identified P. koreensis strain. We assembled a high-quality draft genome of P. koreensis CM-01 with a contig N50 value of 233,601 bp and 99.5% BUSCO completeness. The genome assembly of P. koreensis CM-01 is consists of 6,171,880 bp with a G+C content of 60.5%. Annotation of the genome identified 5538 protein-coding genes, 3 rRNA genes, 54 tRNAs, and no plasmids were found. Besides these, 39 interspersed repeat and 141 tandem repeat sequences, 6 prophages, 51 genomic islands, 94 insertion sequences, 4 clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats, 5 antibiotic-resistant genes, and 150 virulence genes were also predicted in the P. koreensis CM-01 genome. Culture-based approach showed that CM-01 strain exhibited resistance against ampicillin, aztreonam, clindamycin, and cefoxitin with a calculated multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index value of 0.4. In addition, the assembled CM-01 genome was successfully annotated against the Cluster of Orthologous Groups of proteins database, Gene Ontology database, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome pathway database. A comparative analysis of CM-01 with three representative strains of P. koreensis revealed that 92% of orthologous clusters were conserved among these four genomes, and only the CM-01 strain possesses unique elements related to pathogenicity and virulence. This study provides fundamental phenotypic and genomic information for the newly identified P. koreensis strain.
    Matched MeSH terms: Drug Resistance, Microbial/genetics
  7. Siew SW, Musa SM, Sabri N', Farida Asras MF, Ahmad HF
    Environ Res, 2023 Feb 15;219:115139.
    PMID: 36565841 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.115139
    The disposal of healthcare waste without prior elimination of pathogens and hazardous contaminants has negative effects on the environment and public health. This study aimed to profile the complete microbial community and correlate it with the antibiotic compounds identified in microwave pre-treated healthcare wastes collected from three different waste operators in Peninsular Malaysia. The bacterial and fungal compositions were determined via amplicon sequencing by targeting the full-length 16S rRNA gene and partial 18S with full-length ITS1-ITS2 regions, respectively. The antibiotic compounds were characterized using high-throughput spectrometry. There was significant variation in bacterial and fungal composition in three groups of samples, with alpha- (p-value = 0.04) and beta-diversity (p-values <0.006 and 
    Matched MeSH terms: Drug Resistance, Microbial/genetics
  8. Ahmed S, Ahmed MZ, Rafique S, Almasoudi SE, Shah M, Jalil NAC, et al.
    Biomed Res Int, 2023;2023:5250040.
    PMID: 36726844 DOI: 10.1155/2023/5250040
    Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a ubiquitous public health menace. AMR emergence causes complications in treating infections contributing to an upsurge in the mortality rate. The epidemic of AMR in sync with a high utilization rate of antimicrobial drugs signifies an alarming situation for the fleet recovery of both animals and humans. The emergence of resistant species calls for new treatments and therapeutics. Current records propose that health drug dependency, veterinary medicine, agricultural application, and vaccination reluctance are the primary etymology of AMR gene emergence and spread. Recently, several encouraging avenues have been presented to contest resistance, such as antivirulent therapy, passive immunization, antimicrobial peptides, vaccines, phage therapy, and botanical and liposomal nanoparticles. Most of these therapies are used as cutting-edge methodologies to downplay antibacterial drugs to subdue the resistance pressure, which is a featured motive of discussion in this review article. AMR can fade away through the potential use of current cutting-edge therapeutics, advancement in antimicrobial susceptibility testing, new diagnostic testing, prompt clinical response, and probing of new pharmacodynamic properties of antimicrobials. It also needs to promote future research on contemporary methods to maintain host homeostasis after infections caused by AMR. Referable to the microbial ability to break resistance, there is a great ultimatum for using not only appropriate and advanced antimicrobial drugs but also other neoteric diverse cutting-edge therapeutics.
    Matched MeSH terms: Drug Resistance, Microbial
  9. Bo ZM, Tan WK, Chong CSC, Lye MS, Parmasivam S, Pang ST, et al.
    PLoS One, 2022;17(11):e0277802.
    PMID: 36395327 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277802
    Acute pharyngitis (AP) is a common reason for private primary care consultations, thus providing an avenue for widespread antibiotic intake among the community. However, there is limited data on the antibiotic prescription appropriateness and resistance information in the Malaysian private primary care setting, therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of isolated viruses and bacteria, antibiotic resistance patterns, antibiotic prescription patterns and appropriateness by general practitioners (GPs) and factors affecting antibiotic resistance and antibiotic prescription patterns. To investigate, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 205 patients presenting with AP symptoms at private primary care clinics in central Malaysia from 3rd January 2016 to 30th November 2016. Throat swabs were collected from 205 AP patients for two purposes: (i) the detection of four common respiratory viruses associated with AP via reverse-transcription real-time PCR (qRT-PCR); and (ii) bacterial identification using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Bacterial isolates were then subjected to antibiotic susceptibility screening and McIsaac scoring was calculated post-prescription based on GP selection of criteria. Generalized estimating equations analysis with multiple logistic regression was conducted to identify factors associated with presence of virus and antibiotic prescription. The results showed that 95.1% (195/205) of patients had at least one of the four viruses, with rhinovirus (88.5%) being the most prevalent, followed by adenovirus (74.9%), influenza A virus (4.6%) and enterovirus (2.1%). A total of 862 non-repetitive colonies were isolated from the culture of throat swabs from 205 patients who were positive for bacteria. From a total of 22 genera, Streptococcus constitutes the most prevalent bacteria genus (40.9%), followed by Neisseria (20%), Rothia (13.0%), Staphylococcus (11%) and Klebsiella (4.9%). Only 5 patients carried group A beta-hemolytic streptococci (GABHS). We also report the presence of vancomycin-resistant S. aureus or VRSA (n = 9, 10.1%) among which one isolate is a multidrug-resistant methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MDR-MRSA), while 54.1% (n = 111) were found to carry at least one antibiotic-resistant bacteria species. Application of the McIsaac scoring system indicated that 87.8% (n = 180) of patients should not be prescribed antibiotics as the majority of AP patients in this study had viral pharyngitis. The antibiotic prescription appropriateness by applying post-prescription McIsaac scoring was able to rule out GABHS pharyngitis in this sample with a GABHS culture-positive sensitivity of 40% (n = 2/5) and specificity of 90% (180/200). In conclusion, antibiotic-resistant throat isolates and over-prescription of antibiotics were observed and McIsaac scoring system is effective in guiding GPs to determine occurrences of viral pharyngitis to reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescription.
    Matched MeSH terms: Drug Resistance, Microbial
  10. Dassanayake MK, Khoo TJ, An J
    Ann Clin Microbiol Antimicrob, 2021 Dec 02;20(1):79.
    PMID: 34856999 DOI: 10.1186/s12941-021-00485-0
    BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The chemotherapeutic management of infections has become challenging due to the global emergence of antibiotic resistant pathogenic bacteria. The recent expansion of studies on plant-derived natural products has lead to the discovery of a plethora of phytochemicals with the potential to combat bacterial drug resistance via various mechanisms of action. This review paper summarizes the primary antibiotic resistance mechanisms of bacteria and also discusses the antibiotic-potentiating ability of phytoextracts and various classes of isolated phytochemicals in reversing antibiotic resistance in anthrax agent Bacillus anthracis and emerging superbug bacteria.

    METHODS: Growth inhibitory indices and fractional inhibitory concentration index were applied to evaluate the in vitro synergistic activity of phytoextract-antibiotic combinations in general.

    FINDINGS: A number of studies have indicated that plant-derived natural compounds are capable of significantly reducing the minimum inhibitory concentration of standard antibiotics by altering drug-resistance mechanisms of B. anthracis and other superbug infection causing bacteria. Phytochemical compounds allicin, oleanolic acid, epigallocatechin gallate and curcumin and Jatropha curcas extracts were exceptional synergistic potentiators of various standard antibiotics.

    CONCLUSION: Considering these facts, phytochemicals represents a valuable and novel source of bioactive compounds with potent antibiotic synergism to modulate bacterial drug-resistance.

    Matched MeSH terms: Drug Resistance, Microbial/drug effects
  11. Hossain MS, Sharfaraz A, Dutta A, Ahsan A, Masud MA, Ahmed IA, et al.
    Biomed Pharmacother, 2021 Nov;143:112182.
    PMID: 34649338 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.112182
    Nigella sativa L. is one of the most extensively used traditional medicinal plants. This widely studied plant is known to display diverse pharmacological actions, including antimicrobial activities. Current literature has documented its multi-target mode of antimicrobial actions. N. sativa or its bioactive compounds, such as thymoquinone, can induce oxidative stress, cell apoptosis (by producing reactive oxygen species), increase membrane permeability, inhibit efflux pumps, and impose strong biocidal actions. Despite its well-documented antimicrobial efficacy in the experimental model, to the best of our knowledge its antimicrobial mechanisms highlighting the multi-targeting properties have yet to be well discussed. Is N. sativa or thymoquinone a valuable lead compound for therapeutic development for infectious diseases? Are N. sativa's bioactive compounds potential antimicrobial agents or able to overcome antimicrobial resistance? This review aims to discuss the antimicrobial pharmacology of N. sativa-based treatments. Additionally, it provides a holistic overview of the ethnobotany, ethnopharmacology, and phytochemistry of N. sativa.
    Matched MeSH terms: Drug Resistance, Microbial
  12. Di KN, Pham DT, Tee TS, Binh QA, Nguyen TC
    Trop Anim Health Prod, 2021 Jun 05;53(3):340.
    PMID: 34089130 DOI: 10.1007/s11250-021-02780-6
    Inappropriate use of antibiotics in animal production system is one of the major factors leading to the antibiotic resistance (ABR) development. In Vietnam, the ABR situation is crucial as antibiotics have been used indiscriminately for disease prevention and as growth promoters in animals. Thus, a thorough understanding on the ABR in veterinary settings would be beneficial to the Vietnam public health authority in formulating timely interventions. This review aimed to provide information on the current status of antibiotic usage in animal husbandry in Vietnam, identified gaps in research, and suggested possible solutions to tackle ABR. To this end, data on ABR in animals were extracted from 3 major electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect) in the period of January 2013-December 2020. The review findings were reported according to PRISMA, which highlighted the emergence and persistence of ABR in bacterial isolates, including Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp., and Salmonella species, obtained from pigs and poultry. The lack of awareness of Vietnamese farmers on the antibiotic utilization guidelines was one of the main causes driving the animal ABR. Hence, this paper calls for interventions to restrict antibiotics use in food-producing animals by national action plan and antibiotics control programs. Additionally, studies to evaluate knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of the community are required to promote rational use of antibiotics in all sectors.
    Matched MeSH terms: Drug Resistance, Microbial
  13. Ott A, O'Donnell G, Tran NH, Mohd Haniffah MR, Su JQ, Zealand AM, et al.
    Environ Sci Technol, 2021 06 01;55(11):7466-7478.
    PMID: 34000189 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c00939
    Pinpointing environmental antibiotic resistance (AR) hot spots in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) is hindered by a lack of available and comparable AR monitoring data relevant to such settings. Addressing this problem, we performed a comprehensive spatial and seasonal assessment of water quality and AR conditions in a Malaysian river catchment to identify potential "simple" surrogates that mirror elevated AR. We screened for resistant coliforms, 22 antibiotics, 287 AR genes and integrons, and routine water quality parameters, covering absolute concentrations and mass loadings. To understand relationships, we introduced standardized "effect sizes" (Cohen's D) for AR monitoring to improve comparability of field studies. Overall, water quality generally declined and environmental AR levels increased as one moved down the catchment without major seasonal variations, except total antibiotic concentrations that were higher in the dry season (Cohen's D > 0.8, P < 0.05). Among simple surrogates, dissolved oxygen (DO) most strongly correlated (inversely) with total AR gene concentrations (Spearman's ρ 0.81, P < 0.05). We suspect this results from minimally treated sewage inputs, which also contain AR bacteria and genes, depleting DO in the most impacted reaches. Thus, although DO is not a measure of AR, lower DO levels reflect wastewater inputs, flagging possible AR hot spots. DO measurement is inexpensive, already monitored in many catchments, and exists in many numerical water quality models (e.g., oxygen sag curves). Therefore, we propose combining DO data and prospective modeling to guide local interventions, especially in LMIC rivers with limited data.
    Matched MeSH terms: Drug Resistance, Microbial/genetics
  14. Yang SK, Yusoff K, Ajat M, Yap WS, Lim SE, Lai KS
    J Pharm Anal, 2021 Apr;11(2):210-219.
    PMID: 34012697 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpha.2020.05.014
    Mining of plant-derived antimicrobials is the major focus at current to counter antibiotic resistance. This study was conducted to characterize the antimicrobial activity and mode of action of linalyl anthranilate (LNA) against carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC-KP). LNA alone exhibited bactericidal activity at 2.5% (V/V), and in combination with meropenem (MPM) at 1.25% (V/V). Comparative proteomic analysis showed a significant reduction in the number of cytoplasmic and membrane proteins, indicating membrane damage in LNA-treated KPC-KP cells. Up-regulation of oxidative stress regulator proteins and down-regulation of oxidative stress-sensitive proteins indicated oxidative stress. Zeta potential measurement and outer membrane permeability assay revealed that LNA increases both bacterial surface charge and membrane permeability. Ethidium bromide influx/efflux assay showed increased uptake of ethidium bromide in LNA-treated cells, inferring membrane damage. Furthermore, intracellular leakage of nucleic acid and proteins was detected upon LNA treatment. Scanning and transmission electron microscopies again revealed the breakage of bacterial membrane and loss of intracellular materials. LNA was found to induce oxidative stress by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) that initiate lipid peroxidation and damage the bacterial membrane. In conclusion, LNA generates ROS, initiates lipid peroxidation, and damages the bacterial membrane, resulting in intracellular leakage and eventually killing the KPC-KP cells.
    Matched MeSH terms: Drug Resistance, Microbial
  15. Velusamy P, Su CH, Kannan K, Kumar GV, Anbu P, Gopinath SCB
    PMID: 33751641 DOI: 10.1002/bab.2146
    Overuse of antibiotics has led to the development of multi drug resistant strains. Antibiotic resistance is a major drawback in the biomedical field since medical implants are prone to infection by biofilms of antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria. With increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistant pathogenic bacteria, the search for alternative method is utmost importance. In this regard, magnetic nanoparticles are commonly used as a substitute for antibiotics that can circumvent the problem of biofilms growth on the surface of biomedical implants. Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) have unique magnetic properties that can be exploited in various ways in the biomedical applications. IONPs are engineered employing different methods to induce surface functionalization that include the use of polyethyleneimine and oleic acid. IONPs have a mechanical effect on biofilms when in presence of an external magnet. In this review, a detailed description of surface engineered magnetic nanoparticles as ideal antibacterial agents is provided, accompanied by various methods of literature review. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
    Matched MeSH terms: Drug Resistance, Microbial
  16. Thong KS, Chang CT, Lee M, Lee JCY, Tan HS, Shafie AA
    Antimicrob Resist Infect Control, 2021 02 04;10(1):29.
    PMID: 33541440 DOI: 10.1186/s13756-021-00892-0
    BACKGROUND: Antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern, accelerated by antibiotic overuse. Inadequate knowledge among the public has been associated with inappropriate use of antibiotics. This study determined the impact of a self-developed educational leaflet for addressing specific knowledge gaps in antibiotic use among the public.

    METHODS: This was an experimental study conducted at five hospitals and 20 primary health care clinics in the state of Perak. Adults over 18 years of age were recruited using sequential sampling. The first phase of data collection consisted of a pre-intervention assessment, an educational session, and an immediate post-intervention assessment. Each educational session was conducted by trained pharmacists and lasted approximately 15 min for each participant. A two-week post-intervention assessment was then conducted via a phone call to re-assess the participants using the same questionnaire.

    RESULTS: Out of 300 questionnaires distributed, 234 were completed for our study. The mean age of participants was 40.7 ± 14.6 years old. Most of the respondents were female (143, 61.1%), Malay (162, 69.2%), and had tertiary education (162, 69.2%). A mean score was generated for each domain, with knowledge towards antibiotic resistance: 2.83 ± 1.28 pre-intervention, 3.76 ± 0.62 immediate post-intervention, and 3.67 ± 0.78 two-weeks post-intervention (total score: 4.00); knowledge towards antibiotic use: 2.03 ± 1.56 pre-intervention, 4.56 ± 1.46 immediate post-intervention, and 4.32 ± 1.48 two-weeks post-intervention (total score: 6.00); perception towards antibiotic use: 2.83 ± 1.38 pre-intervention, 4.25 ± 1.06 immediate post-intervention, and 4.22 ± 1.02 two-weeks post-intervention (total score: 5.00). Significant improvement in the mean scores were found before and after intervention in all domains (p 

    Matched MeSH terms: Drug Resistance, Microbial*
  17. Yang SK, Yusoff K, Ajat M, Wee CY, Yap PS, Lim SH, et al.
    Front Microbiol, 2021;12:635016.
    PMID: 33815320 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.635016
    Antibiotic-adjuvant combinatory therapy serves as a viable treatment option in addressing antibiotic resistance in the clinical setting. This study was carried out to assess and characterize the adjuvant potential and mode of action of linalool against carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC-KP). Linalool exhibited bactericidal activity alone (11,250 μg/ml) and in combination with meropenem (5,625 μg/ml). Comparative proteomic analysis showed significant reduction in the number of cytoplasmic and membrane proteins, indicating membrane damage in linalool-treated KPC-KP cells. Upregulation of oxidative stress regulator proteins and downregulation of oxidative stress-sensitive proteins indicated oxidative stress. Zeta potential measurement and outer membrane permeability assay revealed that linalool increases the bacterial surface charge as well as the membrane permeability. Intracellular leakage of nucleic acid and proteins was detected upon linalool treatment. Scanning and transmission electron microscopies further revealed the breakage of bacterial membrane and loss of intracellular materials. Linalool induced oxidative stress by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) which initiates lipid peroxidation, leading to damage of the bacterial membrane. This leads to intracellular leakage, eventually killing the KPC-KP cells. Our study demonstrated that linalool possesses great potential in future clinical applications as an adjuvant along with existing antibiotics attributed to their ability in disrupting the bacterial membrane by inducing oxidative stress. This facilitates the uptake of antibiotics into the bacterial cells, enhancing bacterial killing.
    Matched MeSH terms: Drug Resistance, Microbial
  18. Marzan M, Islam DZ, Lugova H, Krishnapillai A, Haque M, Islam S
    Infect Drug Resist, 2021;14:519-533.
    PMID: 33603416 DOI: 10.2147/IDR.S289964
    Background: Antibiotics are lifesaving drugs, and inappropriate uses lead to the resistance that renders them ineffective. This study aims to understand knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) concerning antibiotic use and resistance among university students in Bangladesh.

    Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed from January to April 2020 among students at Jahangirnagar University (JU), Bangladesh. Purposive sampling was conducted through an in-person interview using a structured questionnaire. Students from the faculties of biological sciences and non-biology background were included. The univariate ordinal regression technique was used to analyze the relationship between predictors and good knowledge about the antibiotics. A two-tailed p-value was calculated to determine statistical association.

    Results: Out of 205 study participants, 92 and 113 responders were from biological science faculty and non-biology disciplines, respectively. Less than half of the students (42.4%) showed a good knowledge level (scores higher than 80%). Biology-background students possess better knowledge than non-biology students [odds ratio (OR) = 4.44, 95% confidence level (CL) (2.56, 7.70), p < 0.001]. A better attitude was noticed among all students. The self-medication rate was quite low, and more than 90% of students were found to consume antibiotics according to the physician's prescription. Lack of treatment adherence was recorded, and students admitted to stop-taking antibiotics when symptoms disappeared (48.67% biology and 36.26% non-biology). Multivariate regression analysis was unable to detect any significant association between self-medication and gender, student category or the level of knowledge about antibiotics.

    Conclusion: Students of biological science background possessed better knowledge indicating the importance of appropriate curriculum imparted in knowledge buildup. Introducing a short course about the risk and development of antibiotic resistance will grow the students' awareness to avoid the resistance phenomenon.

    Matched MeSH terms: Drug Resistance, Microbial
  19. Yang SK, Tan NP, Chong CW, Abushelaibi A, Lim SH, Lai KS
    Evol Bioinform Online, 2021;17:1176934320938391.
    PMID: 34017165 DOI: 10.1177/1176934320938391
    Antibiotic resistance is a major global health issue that has seen alarming rates of increase in all parts of the world over the past two decades. The surge in antibiotic resistance has resulted in longer hospital stays, higher medical costs, and elevated mortality rates. Constant attempts have been made to discover newer and more effective antimicrobials to reduce the severity of antibiotic resistance. Plant secondary metabolites, such as essential oils, have been the major focus due to their complexity and bioactive nature. However, the underlying mechanism of their antimicrobial effect remains largely unknown. Understanding the antimicrobial mode of action of essential oils is crucial in developing potential strategies for the use of essential oils in a clinical setting. Recent advances in genomics and proteomics have enhanced our understanding of the antimicrobial mode of action of essential oils. We might well be at the dawn of completing a mystery on how essential oils carry out their antimicrobial activities. Therefore, an overview of essential oils with regard to their antimicrobial activities and mode of action is discussed in this review. Recent approaches used in identifying the antimicrobial mode of action of essential oils, specifically from the perspective of genomics and proteomics, are also synthesized. Based on the information gathered from this review, we offer recommendations for future strategies and prospects for the study of essential oils and their function as antimicrobials.
    Matched MeSH terms: Drug Resistance, Microbial
  20. Wong LP, Alias H, Husin SA, Ali ZB, Sim B, Ponnampalavanar SSS
    PLoS One, 2021;16(10):e0258698.
    PMID: 34669733 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258698
    Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global public health. Misuse of antibiotics has never been investigated on a nationwide scale among the general public in Malaysia. This study aimed to identify sociodemographic and knowledge factors associated with inappropriate use of antibiotics in the Malaysian context to inform the development of interventions to mitigate inappropriate antibiotic use. We conducted computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) between June 2019 and December 2019. The telephone numbers were randomly generated from the electronic residential telephone directory of all 13 states and 3 Federal Territories in Malaysia. The survey consisted of questions on demographics, knowledge about antibiotics and antibiotic resistance (53 items), and practices of antibiotic use (16 questions). A total of 864 complete responses were received. Pronounced erroneous beliefs that antibiotics are effective against infections caused by viruses and that antibiotics can speed up recovery from coughs and colds were evident. The proportions that were aware of the terms 'drug resistance', 'antimicrobial resistance', and 'superbugs' were low. The mean and standard deviation (SD) for the antibiotic knowledge score was 23.7 (SD ±9.25; range 0 to 50) out of a possible score of 52. Regarding antibiotic practices, a considerable proportion reported non-adherence to recommended doses. The mean and SD for the antibiotic practices score was 37.9 (SD ± 6.5; range 17 to 47) out of a possible score of 48. Participants who earned an average monthly household income of MYR1001-3000 (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.04-2.50) were more likely to report higher antibiotic practice scores than those with
    Matched MeSH terms: Drug Resistance, Microbial*
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