title: Fish oils against Burkholderia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa: in vitro efficacy and their therapeutic and prophylactic effects on infected Galleria mellonella larvae.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigates the antimicrobial effects of fish oil-based formulas rich in omega-3 fatty acids (free fatty acids, ethyl esters or triacylglycerols), against cystic fibrosis (CF) pathogens (Burkholderia cenocepacia K56-2 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1), often resistant to multiple antibiotics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The fish oils have shown antibacterial efficacy, although activity was highest for the one containing the fatty acid EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) in their free form (MIC value is 1·87% v/v for both pathogens). To test whether the fish oils could have a therapeutic and prophylactic potential in vivo, we assessed its efficacy using a Galleria mellonella caterpillar model of infection. The treatment of infected larvae with a single dose (7 h post infection) enhances the survival of larvae, being more pronounced with the free fatty acid form (EPAX 6000 FA). Moreover, we observed that the prophylactic food provision of the fish oil EPAX 6000 FA during 12 days prior to bacterial infection extended the life of the infected larvae.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The fish oils, particularly in the free fatty acid form, are active in killing Burkholderia and Ps. aeruginosa.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The possibility of using fish oils for the treatment of bacterial infections in CF patients.
authors.affiliation: iBB-Institute of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mil-Homens
authors.affiliation: LEAF - Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferreira-Dias
authors.affiliation: iBB-Institute of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal.|Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fialho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D019117:Burkholderia / Q000187:drug effects*; D019121:Burkholderia Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009036:Moths / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005395:Fish Oils; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid
keywords: EPA and DHA fatty acids; Galleria mellonella model of infection; cystic fibrosis; fish oil antibacterial therapies; fish oil omega-3 concentrates