title: Efficacy of zinc as an antibacterial agent against enteric bacterial pathogens.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diarrhoea is a serious threat all over the world with great economic implications especially evident in the developing world. This study was aimed at determining in vitro efficacy of Zinc (Zn) against common enteric bacterial pathogens.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 100 bacterial enteric pathogens: Salmonellae (n = 16), enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) (n = 26). Shigellae (n = 28) and Vibrio cholerae (n = 30) were isolated from diarrhoeal stool specimens at Department of Microbiology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology Rawalpindi during Aapril 2009 to Jan 2010. These isolates were tested against various concentrations of Zn supplemented in Mueller Hinton (MH) agar using a multipoint inoculator. A minimum inhibitory concentration of active Zn in ZnSO4.7H2O ranging from 0.03 mg/ml to 1 mg/ml was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Zn completely inhibited the growth of all the tested pathogens and most of them were inhibited at a concentration of 0.06 mg/ml to 0.5 mg/ml of Zn.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Zinc has an excellent antibacterial activity against enteric bacterial pathogens common in our setup which may provide basis for treatment of diarrhoea. Clinical study based on these findings is recommended.
authors.forename: Umaira
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Faiz
authors.forename: Tariq
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Butt
authors.forename: Luqman
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Satti
authors.forename: Wajid
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: Faisal
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hanif
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002771:Cholera / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D004405:Dysentery, Bacillary / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D012480:Salmonella Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015032:Zinc / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D015032:Zinc