Comparative investigation of klebsiella clinical isolates including klebsiella planticola and klebsiella terrigena

Ninety-one Klebsiella clinical isolates were classified into Klebsiella pneumoniae [25], Klebsiella ozanae [21], Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis [1], Klebsiella oxytoca [26], Klebsiella planticola [7] and Klebsiella terrigena [11], using differentiating biochemical tests. The susceptibility of these isolates to 18 chemotherapeutic antimicrobial agents was tested. Most of the isolates were resistant to ampicillin, carbenicillin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, streptomycin and contrimoxazole. Some of the strains were resistant to as many as 15 antimicrobial agents including third generation cephalosporins. On the contrary, all the isolates were sensitive to ofloxacin. The pattern of antibiotic resistance and beta lactamase production by K. planticola and K. terrigena isolates was determined. Heterogeneous resistance patterns were obtained. Both the rate of conjugation and the pattern of antibiotic resistance of transconjugants were evaluated

Influence of some preservatives on the bioactivity of digestive enzymes

The effect of seven commonly used preservatives on the biological activity of chymotrypsin, diastase, pepsin, pancreatin and trypsin were studied by the radial diffusion technique. The proteolytic activities of papain, pancreatin and chymotrypsin were reduced by the tested preservatives in descending order, while those of pepsin and trypsin were unaffected. Reductions in the amylolytic activity of pancreatin and diastase varied according to the preservative tested

Microorganisms-digestive enzymes interactions

The viability of B. subtilis, E. coli, Ps. aeruginosa and C. albicans in 0.5% sterile solutions of diastase, pancreatin, papain, pepsin and trypsin during a period of 7 days was followed by the viable count technique. Marked growth of these organisms took place, though the extent of which varied according to the enzyme. At 4C, the enzymes suffered practically no alteration in their amylolytic or proteolytic activities. Storage at 25C resulted in significant reductions of amylolytic activity [0.3-89.7%] and proteolytic activity [0-77%], depending on the enzyme-organism system. B. subtilis and C. albicans exerted, in general, the highest inactivation of the enzymes. On the other h and, Ps. aeruginosa produced little effect

Microbiological quality assurance of several mascara products available in Egypt

Ten mascara br and s, used by volunteers for over 6 months, were examined for both the level and type of contaminants. The level was found to vary between 7.4 x 10 2 and 7.9 x 10 5 CFU/g -1. The organisms detected were Staphylococcus epidermidis, Micrococcus spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, C and ida spp. and diphtheroids, the first being the most frequent. Three mascara br and s, in their original unopened containers, were challenged with st and ard organisms according to compendial procedure for testing the efficacy of antimicrobial preservatives in pharmaceutical products. These mascaras passed the test as stipulated by BP [1988] and USP [1990] for topical and ophthalmic preparations. When other unopened containers of the same mascara br and s were challenged with Ps. aeruginosa and S. epidermis, isolated from old used mascaras, significant proportions of the inoculated organisms survived for extended periods [ca. 16 weeks] with regrowth taking place at one time or another. One of the mascara br and s displayed an even active growth of both challenge organisms during the first week of inoculation. The results supported the findings of others in that mascaras could be easily contaminated during use with hazardous organisms, hence should comply with rigid microbiological quality assurance

Effect of N-acetylcysteine on antibiotic activity and microbial growth in vitro

N-acetylcysteine [NAC], a powerful mucolytic agent, exerted a mild antibacterial action against 28 clinical isolates. Their growth was completely inhibited by 5% NAC. At lower concentrations, there were variable reducations in the bacterial growth rate which differed markedly among isolates belonging to the same species, particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. The effect of 1% NAC on the activity of rifampin and co-trimoxazole was assessed using 12 isolates belonging to aeruginosa, S. Aurous and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The activity of rifampin was either unaffected, potentiated or antagonized, but meagerly. That of co-trimoxazole was mostly enhanced. Its MIC values decreased by 2-to 64-fold, depending on the isolate, while the MIC was either unchanged or decreased by 2-fold. The biostatic and biocidal activity of nystatin, against Candida albicans, decreased by 4-and 8-fold respectively in the presence of 1% NAC

Biostatic activity of binary mistures of local anesthetics and preservatives

The biostatic activity of binary mixtures of five different preservatives with cinchocaine, Amethocaine, amylocaine, Lignocaine, and procaine was determined against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The preservatives used were Cetrimide, Chlorhexidine, Chlorocresol, Phenoxyethanol and phenylmercuric nitrate. The sensitivity of the three test organisms towards the different combinations varied to some extent. While 19,17 and 18 out of 25 combinations were synergistic with E. coli, S. Aureus, and S. cerevisiae respectively, 2,6 and 8 combinations were antagonistic against the same organisms. Out of the total 75 local anesthetic- preservative combinations studied, 55 showed synergistic biostatic activity while 12 displayed antagonism. The remaining 8 combinations were additive in action. The number of synergistic combinations were the following: amylocaine, 9; procaine, 9 Amethocaine, 11; cinchocaine, 12 and Lignocaine 13. More antagonistic combinations were observed with procaine [5], followed by amylocaine [3], then the other three local anesthetics. Regarding the preservative component of the local anesthetic-preservative combinations, those containing chlorocresol or Phenoxyethanol were mainly synergistic [13- 14 combinations out of 15 each] and showing no antagonism. Although local anesthetics mixed with Cetrimide, Chlorhexidine or phenylmercuric nitrate had synergistic combinations, their antagonistic ones were 1,5 and 6 respectively for the preservatives mentioned

Biostatic activity of binary mixtures of local anesthetics and preservatives

The biostatic activity of binary mixtures of five different preservatives with cinchocaine, amethocaine, amylocaine, lignocaine, and procaine was determined against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cervesiae. The preservatives used were cetrimide, chlorhexidine, chlorocresol, phenoxyethanol and phenylmercuric nitrate. The sensitivity of the three test organisms towards the different combinations varied to some extent. While 19, 17 and 18 out of 25 combinations were synergistic with E. coli, S. aureus and S. cervesiae, respectively, 2, 6 and 8 combinations were antagonistic against the same organisms. Out of the total 75 local anesthetic preservative combinations studied, 55 showed synergistic biostatic activity, while 12 displayed antagonism. The remaining 8 combinations were additive in action. The number of synergistic combinations were as follows: Amylocaine, 9, procaine, 9, amethocaine, 11, cinchocaine, 12 and lignocaine 13. More antagonistic combinations were observed with procaine [5], followed by amylocaine [3], then the other three local anesthetics. Regarding the preservative component of the local anesthetic preservative combinations, those containing chlorocresol or phenoxyethanol were mainly synergistic [13-14 combinations out of 15 each] and showing no antagonism. Although local anesthetics mixed with cetrimide, chlorhexidine or phenylmercuric nitrate had synergistic combinations, there antagonistic ones were 1, 5 and 6, respectively, for the preservatives mentioned