title: Synergistic activity of biocides and antibiotics on resistant bacteria from organically produced foods.
abstract: Synergism between biocides and antibiotics was investigated in 20 biocide and antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains that were previously isolated from organically produced foods, according to their antimicrobial resistance profiles. Most of the antibiotic/biocide combinations yielded synergistic interactions, reducing the inhibitory concentrations of biocides and antibiotics by 4- to 16-fold. Among enterococci, synergism with biocides was detected for amoxicillin (AM), cefuroxime (CX), erythromycin (EM), ciprofloxacin (CP), and trimethoprim/sulphametoxazol (T/S). Among staphylococci, interactions were synergistic (AM) and either synergistic or indifferent (CX and EM, depending on biocide). Among the three methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clinical strains included in the study, the combinations of methicillin and triclosan or hexachlorophene acted synergistically in all strains, but interactions were either synergistic or indifferent for the other biocides, depending on the strain. All combinations tested were synergistic for Lactobacillus (AM, CX, EM, and CP) and Micrococcus (AM, EM). In Salmonella, interactions were indifferent (AM, CX, EM, and CP) or synergistic (T/S). Synergism with biocides was also detected in Klebsiella isolates (AM, CX, and T/S), Enterobacter sp. (AM, CX, EM, and T/S), Pantoea (AM, CX, EM, CP, and T/S), and Chryseobacterium sp. (EM). These results suggest that combinations of biocides and antibiotics may open new possibilities to combat antimicrobial resistance.
authors.affiliation: Área de Microbiología, Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad de Jaén , Jaén, Spain .
authors.forename: Miguel Angel
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fernández Fuentes
authors.forename: Hikmate
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abriouel
authors.forename: Rebeca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gadea
authors.forename: Rubén
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pérez Pulido
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gálvez
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ortega
mesh_terms: D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002444:Cefuroxime / Q000494:pharmacology; D045247:Chryseobacterium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004754:Enterobacter / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D058870:Food, Organic / Q000382:microbiology*; D007709:Klebsiella / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008837:Micrococcus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020636:Pantoea / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012475:Salmonella / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004202:Disinfectants; D002939:Ciprofloxacin; D004917:Erythromycin; D000658:Amoxicillin; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination; D002444:Cefuroxime