title: Synergistic effect of haloduracin and chloramphenicol against clinically important Gram-positive bacteria.
abstract: The emergence of drug-resistant pathogens has triggered the search for more efficient antimicrobial agents and formulations for treatment of infections. In recent years, combination therapy has become one of the effective clinical practices in treating infections. The present study deals with the effect of haloduracin, a lantibiotic bateriocin and chloramphenicol against clinically important bacteria. The combined use of haloduracin and chloramphenicol resulted in remarkable synergy against a spectrum of microorganisms including strains ofStaphylococcus aureus,Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus faecalisand different groups ofStreptococcus.The synergy allowed using these antimicrobial agents at substantially reduced concentrations without compromising their efficiency. Use of lower doses of chloramphenicol can avoid the severity of its side effects. In addition to minimizing undesirable side effects of some drugs, this approach brings the possibility of using antibiotics that are no longer effective due to drug resistance. Furthermore, the observed synergy between haloduracin and chloramphenicol opens a new window of using bacteriocins and antibiotics in combination therapy of infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, 221 00, Lund, Sweden; Biotechnology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Abolghasem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Danesh
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Lund University, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Åsa
authors.initials: Å
authors.lastname: Ljungh
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, 221 00, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mattiasson
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, 221 00, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Gashaw
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mamo
keywords: Chloramphenicol; Combination therapy; Drug resistance; Haloduracin; Topical antibiotics