title: Effect of United States buckwheat honey on antibiotic-resistant hospital acquired pathogens.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Due to an upsurge in antibiotic-resistant infections and lack of therapeutic options, new approaches are needed for treatment. Honey may be one such potential therapeutic option. We investigated the susceptibility of hospital acquired pathogens to four honeys from Wisconsin, United States, and then determined if the antibacterial effect of each honey against these pathogens is primarily due to the high sugar content.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirteen pathogens including: fourClostridium difficile, two Methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus, twoPseudomonas aeruginosa, one Methicillin-SusceptibleStaphylococcus aureus, two Vancomycin-resistance Enterococcus, oneEnterococcus faecalisand oneKlebsiella pneumoniaewere exposed to 1-50% (w/v) four Wisconsin honeys and Artificial honey to determine their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) using the broth dilution method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Buckwheat honey predominantly exhibited a bactericidal mode of action against the tested pathogens, and this varied with each pathogen.C. difficileisolates were more sensitive to the Wisconsin buckwheat honey as compared to the other pathogens. Artificial honey at 50% (w/v) failed to kill any of the pathogens. The high sugar content of Wisconsin buckwheat honey is not the only factor responsible for its bactericidal activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Wisconsin buckwheat honey has the potential to be an important addition to therapeutic armamentarium against resistant pathogens and should be investigated further.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
authors.forename: Eric Nee-Armah
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Hammond
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duster
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA; William S. Middleton Memorial VA Medical Center, Madison WI 53705, USA.
authors.forename: Jackson Ssentalo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Musuuza
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA; William S. Middleton Memorial VA Medical Center, Madison WI 53705, USA.
authors.forename: Nasia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Safdar
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D006722:Honey; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D014481:United States; D014922:Wisconsin
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Buckwheat honey; antibiotic-resistant; nosocomial pathogen; susceptibility