Comparative Study of Antibiotics and Allium Sativum Against Coagulase Positive and Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus.

Garlic (Allium sativum) is a well known medicine used since ancient times. Its potency as an antibiotic without inducing drug resistance has been well documented. A very common pyogenic organism, namely Staphylococcus aureus, as well as its coagulase negative brethren, are very well known pathogens causing infections all over the world. Their ability to become multidrug resistant has become a matter of deep concern to medical personnels all over the world. We wanted to see that garlic, described in various literatures as antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, antioxidant – held how much potency as an antistaphylococcal agent as well. Aims and Objectives: The study aimed at evaluating the antistaphylococcal activity of garlic, in the face of emergence of multidrug resistant forms of both coagulase positive and negative forms of staphylococcus. Materials and Methods: Raw garlic juice was extracted and was tested to be sterile. Pure cultures of coagulase positive and negative staphylococcus were prepared. A comparative study using six potent antibiotics as well as garlic against Staphylococcus and CoNS strains was done. At the same time, decreasing concentrations of garlic solution was used to show the effect on zone of inhibition. Discussion: Both S.aureus and CoNS strains showed significant inhibition by garlic extract. Garlic seemed to have greater antibacterial effect than all the antibiotics tested except linezolid, which persistently performed better. With decreasing concentration of garlic juice, zone of inhibition also decreased consistently.

Acinetobacter baumannii: No more a choosy intruder.

Context: Acinetobacter baumannii, a non-fermenter, is fast coming up the list of pathogens causing nosocomial infections. Earlier considered to be a harmless colonizer, or at the most, a pathogen causing mostly respiratory tract infections, it has slowly but successfully emerged as a ubiquitous pathogen causing both community as well as health care associated infections. It has acquired multidrug resistance, and seems to be no more selective in mainly attacking any one or two body systems. According to recent reports, a shy selective bacterium has turned into a dangerous pathogen, capable of causing infections anywhere in the body, thereby adding extra furrows on the forehead of medical community worldwide. AIMS: To determine the range of infections caused by A. baumannii, and the frequencies thereof, in our tertiary care hospital; and to study their resistance patterns. Materials and Methods: A total of 88 isolates of A. baumannii were found from a variety of clinical samples, from hospitalized patients as well as patients attending the outpatient departments. The isolates were subjected to disc-diffusion method for antibiotic sensitivity testing. Results: Acinetobacter was mostly recovered from samples of pus, followed by endotracheal tube, urine, sputum samples, etc., Imipenem showed highest sensitivity, while other drugs with good sensitivity patterns were aminoglycosides and piperacillin-tazobactum. Conclusions: In this tertiary care institution of ours, A. baumannii isolates have shown a high frequency of drug resistance, with imipenem being the best sensitive drug. This non-fermenter is the cause of a variety of infections, irrespective of whether the individuals are hospitalized or are outdoor patients.