title: Development of Cefotaxime Impregnated Chitosan as Nano-antibiotics: De Novo Strategy to Combat Biofilm Forming Multi-drug Resistant Pathogens.
abstract: Frequent incidents of antibiotic-resistant biofilm forming pathogens in community-associated and hospital-acquired infections have become a global concern owing to failure of conventional therapies. Nano-antibiotics (NABs) are de novo tools to overcome the multi-drug resistant mechanisms employed by the superbugs. Inhibition of biofilm formation is one of those strategies to curb multi drug resistance phenomenon. In the current study, the anti-biofilm and antibacterial potential of newly synthesized cefotaxime loaded chitosan based NABs have been investigated. Both bare and cefotaxime loaded NABs were prepared by ionotropic gelation method. They were found carrying positive zeta potential of more than +50 mV, indicating highly stable nano-dispersion. Moreover, microscopic studies revealed their size as less than 100 nm. NABs were tested against clinical isolates of multi drug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and wherein they demonstrated broad-spectrum anti-biofilm and anti-pathogenic activity. Thus, in vitro synergistic action of cephalosporin drugs and chitosan polymer at nano-scale in contrast to free antibiotics can be an improved broad-spectrum strategy to thwart resistance mechanisms in both Gram-positive and Gram-negative resistant pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Public Health Group, Department of Biosciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Bushra
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jamil
authors.affiliation: Center for Micro and Nano Devices, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Huma
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Habib
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Al-Sayed Hospital Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Shahid A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Abbasi
authors.affiliation: Industrial Biotechnology Division, National Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Faisalabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Ayesha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ihsan
authors.affiliation: School of Natural Sciences, National University of Sciences and Technology Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Habib
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nasir
authors.affiliation: Microbiology and Public Health Group, Department of Biosciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imran
keywords: biofilm; cephalosporins; chitosan nano-carriers; drug resistance; growth kinetics; zeta potential