Nanobiotechnica Universale Vol. 2(2), 39-45 (2011). In vitro assessment of some antibacterial combinations against Clinical Isolates of Staphylococcus aureus Zafar Ahmed*, Shaukat Saeed Khan, Shazia Siddiqui and Mahnaaz Khan
Department of Microbiology, Saifia Science College, Bhopal – 462001 (M.P.)
ABSTRACT
Different antibiotics exercise their inhibitory activity against a
number of pathogenic microorganisms either by killing them, an actionreferred to as microbicidal or by arresting the cell growth, a microbistaticactivity. The impact of antibiotic on a pathogen is specific which differsfrom pathogen to pathogen and vice-versa. The aim of this study was toinvestigate in vitro antibiotic synergism of combination of β-lactamsand β-lactam - aminoglycoside against clinical isolates of Staphylococcusaureus. S. aureus is responsible for causing a number of infections. It isone of the five most common causes of nosocomial infections and israpidly increasing as multidrug resistant strain worldwide. In the presentstudy synergy was determined by checkerboard double dilution method. The combination of streptomycin & ceftriaxone was found mostsynergistic (84.48%), followed by ampicillin & ceftriaxone (79.31%) andamoxicillin and cefaclor (72.41%) against S. aureus isolates. Furtheractions are needed to characterize the possible interaction mechanismbetween these antibiotics. Moreover, the combination of streptomycinand ceftriaxone may lead to the development of new and vitalantimicrobial against simultaneous infections of S. aureus.Key words: Synergism, microbicidal, microbistatic, antibiotics, INTRODUCTION
infections are due to antibiotic resistantstrains1, 10.
that a number of people are becoming infected
Staphylococcus aureus is responsible
with nosocomial infections leading to numerous
for causing a range of illnesses from minor
deaths annually worldwide and to heavy economic
skin infections, such as pimples, impetigo, boils
burden on both developed and developing world8.
(furuncles), cellulitis folliculitis, carbuncles,
Emerging trends in nosocomial infections signal
scalded skin syndrome, and abscesses, to life-
pathogens. Studies show that 70% of nosocomial
meningitis, osteomyelitis, endocarditis, toxic
*Senior Research Technologist, Analytical Science Center, 402/403/1098, Urawade, At. Pirangut,
shock syndrome (TSS), chest pain, bacteremia,
collection of the Vishakha Clinical Microbiology
and sepsis. Its incidence is from skin, soft tissue,
Laboratory, Nagpur, India. The clinical isolates
respiratory, bone, joint, endovascular to wound
were from different specimens like pus, swab,
infections. It is still one of the five most common
sputum, blood and wound discharge of patients
causes of nosocomial infections, often causing
attending the health centres of Nagpur district.
postsurgical wound infections. In an increasing
number of microbial infections of man, treatment
biochemical tests including catalase, coagulase,
with single antibiotics fails to cure. Some of
and by growth characteristics on Mannitol salt
these infections, however, respond favourably
to combined treatment with two antibioticdrugs. Certain pairs of these drugs have proved
Antimicrobial agents :
successful in a limited number of clinical situations. The clinical significance of in vitro synergism
Antimicrobial agents, namely amoxicillin,
has not yet been defined in the treatment of
cephotaxime, cefaclor and streptomycin were
procured from Himedia Laboratories Pvt. Ltd.,Mumbai, cephalexin and ceftriaxone sodium
to investigate the effectiveness of combinations
of antibiotics against clinical isolates of S.
Ranbaxy. All drugs were dissolved in their
aureus which are synergistic in vitro. It will be
respective solvents and diluted in deionized
shown that the use of two antibiotics that are
water and filtered through 0.22µ Millipore filter.
synergistic in vitro against the microorganism
responsible for the infection may be associatedwith a significantly better outcome than that
MIC andFICI Determination :
achieved with a combination which is notsynergistic for the offending microorganism. In vitro checkerboard studies on the
Synergistic activity of antimicrobials cannot be
activity of antibiotics alone and in combination
assumed and should be tested for, prior to
were performed in Muller Hinton broth (Himedia
Ltd.) in tube dilution. Two-fold dilutions (0.125-
regimen9. It is therefore thought imperative to
256 µg ml-1) of each drug or drug combination
assess the in vitro synergy of antibiotics
were tested in two rows. One row was inoculated
amoxicillin, ampicillin, cefaclor, ceftriaxone,
with 105 organisms/ml test organism and the
second row with the control organism. Results
against fifty eight clinical isolates of S. aureus.
were read after tubes were incubated at37±2°C for 18 hours. MIC (Minimum inhibitory
Material and Methods
concentration) is determined as the lowest
Staphylococcus aureus isolates :
concentration of the drugs (alone or incombination) that inhibit growth. The fractional
A total of fifty eight S. aureus isolates
inhibitory concentration index (FICI) is defined
included in present study were taken from
as the sum of the MIC of each drug when used
in combination divided by the MIC of the drug
against 1.72% isolate. The combination of
used alone. Synergistic effect was recorded
amoxicillin and cephalexin against S. aureus was
when FIC indexes 0.5; partial synergy when
found synergistic against 18.97% isolates, partial
FIC >0.5 but <1.0; additive when FIC =1.0;
synergistic against 22.41% isolates, additive
indifferent when FIC >1.0 but <4.0 and
against 3.45% isolates, indifferent against 55.17%
isolates and no antagonism found against anyisolate. The combination of amoxicillin and
cephotaxime against S. aureus was foundsynergistic against 55.17% isolates, partial
synergistic against 25.86%, additive against
cefaclor against S. aureus was found synergistic
5.17% isolates, indifferent against 12.07%
against 72.41% isolates, partial synergistic against
isolates and antagonistic against 1.72% isolate.
17.24% isolates, additive against 3.45% isolates,
The combination of amoxicillin and streptomycin
indifferent against 6.90% isolates and no
against S. aureus was found synergistic against
antagonism was found against any isolate. The
44.83% isolates, partial synergistic against
combination of amoxicillin and ceftriaxone
against S. aureus was found synergistic against
indifferent against 27.59% isolates and no
18.97% isolates, partial synergistic against
antagonism was found against any isolate (Figure
indifferent against 41.38% isolates and antagonistic
Figure 1: Amoxicillin interaction with cephalosporins and streptomycin antibiotics against S.(Am = Amoxicillin, Cj = Cefaclor, Ci = Ceftriaxone, Cp = Cephalexin, Ce = Cephotaxime,
additive against 27.59% isolates, indifferent
cefaclor against S. aureus was found synergistic
against 43.10% isolates and antagonistic against
against 13.79% isolates, partial synergistic against
1.72% isolate. The combination of ampicillin and
31.03%, additive against 34.48% isolates,
cephotaxime against S. aureus was found
indifferent against 20.69% isolates and antagonistic
synergistic against 53.45% isolates, partial
against 6.90% isolates. The combination of
synergistic against 31.03%, no additive was found
ampicillin and ceftriaxone against S. aureus was
against any isolate, indifferent against 12.07%
found synergistic against 79.31% isolates, partial
isolates and antagonistic against 3.45% isolates.
synergistic against 17.24%, additive against
The combination of ampicillin and streptomycin
1.72% isolates, indifferent against 1.72% isolates
against S. aureus was found synergistic against
and no antagonism was found against any isolate.
55.17% isolates, partial synergistic against
The combination of ampicillin and cephalexin
24.14%, additive against 10.34% isolates,
against S. aureus found synergistic against
indifferent against 8.62% isolates and antagonism
5.17% isolates, partial synergistic against 22.41%,
was found against 3.45% isolates (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Ampicillin interaction with cephalosporins and streptomycin against
(A= Ampicillin, Cj = Cefaclor, Ci = Ceftriaxone, Cp = Cephalexin, Ce = Cephotaxime,
3.45% isolates, indifferent against 6.90% isolates
cefaclor against S. aureus was found synergistic
and no antagonistic effect was observed against
against 46.55% isolates, partial synergistic against
any isolate. The combination of streptomycin and
41.38%, additive against 3.45% isolates, indifferent
cephalexin against S. aureus was found synergistic
against 8.62% isolates and no antagonism found
against 25.86% isolates, partial synergistic against
against any isolate. The combination of strep-
22.41% isolates, additive against 15.52% isolates,
tomycin and ceftriaxone against S. aureus was
indifferent against 36.21% isolates and no
found synergistic against 84.48% isolates, partial
antagonism was found against any isolate. The
synergistic against 5.17% isolates, additive against
combination of streptomycin and cephotaxime
against S. aureus was found synergistic against
cefaclor (72.41%) synergism against S. aureus
74.14% isolates, partial synergistic against
20.69%, additive against 3.45% isolates, indifferentagainst 1.72% isolates and no antagonistic effect
DISCUSSION
observed against any isolate (Figure 3).
widespread emergence of antibiotic resistance
of streptomycin & ceftriaxone was found most
against nosococomial infecting microorganisms
synergistic (84.48%), followed by ampicillin &
is continuously striking. Despite this understanding
Figure 3: Streptomycin interaction with cephalosporins against S. aureus isolates
(Cj = Cefaclor, Ci = Ceftriaxone, Cp = Cephalexin, Ce = Cephotaxime, S = Streptomycin)
synergistic approaches will be the powerful
and the results were encouraging in the control
tools for the development of new therapeutic
of S. aureus. They concluded that in view of
strategies. In the present study we observed that
its toxicity, baicalin offers potential for development
the combination of streptomycin and ceftriaxone
of a valuable adjunct to beta-lactam treatments
was very effective against S. aureus, followed
against otherwise resistant microorganisms.
by ampicillin & ceftriaxone and amoxicillin and
Cai and his associates2 investigated antibacterial
cefaclor. Other combinations showed partial
activity of Allicin (isolated from garlic) in
synergism, additive and indifferent effects,
combination with three beta lactams (cefazolin,
antagonistic behaviour was negligible. Likewise,
oxicillin and cefoperazone) against S. aureus,
a flavone baicalin (isolated from herb) has been
S. epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
found effective antibacterial by Liu et al.,6 but
Their studies concluded that almost in all the
in combination with benzyl penicillin, amoxicillin,
cases synergism was observed and therefore
methicillin and cefotaxime was highly synergistic
these strains of bacteria can be controlled by
the combination of drugs instead of using the
surpassed their individual inhibitory effects.
particular disease in vitro experiments should be
synergistic and antagonistic efficacy of various
carried out with various antibiotics and their
antibiotics against 12 clinical isolates of
combination so that a right combination may be
Staphylococcus aureus having the ability of
administered to the patient for early and safe
biofilm formation. The synergism result was
recovery from a specific ailment. All the
investigated by the comparison of MBIC and
combinations do not produce synergistic effect
and therefore a number of combinations are
the combination of β – lactam antibiotics
(ampicillin + penicillin and ampicillin + cloxacillin)
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