Green-Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles in the Prevention of Multidrug-Resistant Proteus mirabilis Infection and Incrustation of Urinary Catheters BioAgNPs Against P. mirabilis Infection.

This study aimed to assess the activity of AgNPs biosynthesized by Fusarium oxysporum (bio-AgNPs) against multidrug-resistant uropathogenic Proteus mirabilis, and to assess the antibacterial activity of catheters coated with bio-AgNPs. Broth microdilution and time-kill kinetics assays were used to determine the antibacterial activity of bio-AgNPs. Catheters were coated with two (2C) and three (3C) bio-AgNPs layers using polydopamine as crosslinker. Catheters were challenged with urine inoculated with P. mirabilis to assess the anti-incrustation activity. MIC was found to be 62.5 µmol l-1, causing total loss of viability after 4 h and bio-AgNPs inhibited biofilm formation by 76.4%. Catheters 2C and 3C avoided incrustation for 13 and 20 days, respectively, and reduced biofilm formation by more than 98%, while the pristine catheter was encrusted on the first day. These results provide evidence for the use of bio-AgNPs as a potential alternative to combat of multidrug-resistant P. mirabilis infections.

Antibacterial Activity of Sophorolipids from Candida bombicola Against Human Pathogens

Abstract Sophorolipids are glycolipids that have natural antimicrobial properties and present great potential in the pharmaceutical field. The present study aimed to produce sophorolipids from Candida bombicola using a chicken fat-based medium and evaluate the antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative (Proteus mirabilis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica) and Gram-positive bacteria (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans). The production of sophorolipids reached 27.86 g L-1. Based on the structural characterization, 73.55% of the sophorolipids present a mixture of acidic monoacetylated C18:2 and lactonic diacetylated C16:0, and 26.45% were present in the diacetylated C18:1 lactonic form. Bacteria submitted to sophorolipid exposure showed a reduction in viability at doses of 500 μg mL-1 and 2,000 μg mL-1 against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, respectively. These results suggest that sophorolipids produced in chicken fat medium may be used as antimicrobial agents to prevent or eliminate contamination by different pathogens.