Predatory' bacteria versus antibiotic-resistant P. aeruginosa
Researchers have developed a new method to eliminate antibiotic-resistant bacteria from the ocular surface by introducing a bacterial strain into the eye that is able to 'hunt down' pathogenic microorganisms. The research was presented at the annual meeting of theAssociation for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) which took place from 7 to 11 May 2017 in Baltimore.
The experiments conducted by the researchers on the rabbit ocular surface compared the ability of predatory bacteria, compared to the antibiotic vancomycin, to treat an eye infection sustained by a strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa resistant to several antibiotics.
P. aeruginosa is a ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen, which can spread by direct contact or with contaminated surfaces/solutions, and is able to survive many environmental conditions, including adverse ones. P. aeruginosaIn the ophthalmic field, it can lead to keratitis, scleral abscesses and endophthalmitis; moreover, it is the main cause of ocular infections in healthy contact lens wearers on which, producing biofilm (a polysaccharide matrix in which bacteria live in sessile form protected from external agents), it becomes difficult to eradicate even by using specific disinfectant solutions.
The study presented in Baltimore found a superiority of predatory bacteria compared to vancomycin in terms of: elimination rate of P. aeruginosa from the ocular surface, inhibition of healing of the wound and minor toxicity. The researchers observed that while vancomycin inhibited the wound healing process, the predatory bacteria did not alter it at all.
The increasing spread of antibiotic-resistant micro-organisms is now a global health problem and vancomycin, used in the study as a benchmark for the activity of predatory bacteria, is still a life-saving antibiotic as it is one of the few active against Staphylococcus aureus methicillin-resistant (MRSA), the cause of major diseases in humans. The activity and efficacy of vancomycin, like that of other antibiotics, must be preserved by avoiding its administration as much as possible, when possible, in order to control the emergence of resistant strains. With this in mind, the use of predatory bacteria would represent an innovative and safe approach that we will certainly hear more about soon.
Source
http://www.arvo.org/About_ARVO/Press_Room/Predatory_bacteria_kills_multi-drug_resistant_bacteria_on_eyes/
Dr. Carmelo Chines
Direttore responsabile
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