Effects of a specific nutrient combination on ESBL resistance

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Pharmacology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) are a primary driver of resistance in Enterobacteriaceae against beta-lactam antibiotics.
• Combating antimicrobial resistance necessitates exploring novel therapeutic strategies and adjuncts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the antimicrobial efficacy of the EpiQuercican supplement in combination with various antimicrobial agents against ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae.
• To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying antimicrobial resistance in these isolates.

Main Methods:

• Disk diffusion tests were conducted on 11 ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae isolates from Saudi Arabia (2016-2017) to evaluate susceptibility to antibiotics with EpiQuercican.
• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed for the detection of ESBL genes.
• Efflux pump inhibitors were utilized to explore resistance mechanisms.

Main Results:

• The EpiQuercican supplement exhibited the most significant synergistic effect when combined with carbapenems and 4th generation cephalosporins.
• A combination with 3rd generation cephalosporins resulted in no effect or antagonism for most isolates.
• TEM genes were predominant (73%) among the detected ESBL genes, followed by CTX-M genes (9%).
• Efflux pumps were identified as the primary resistance mechanism in 4 of the tested isolates.

Conclusions:

• The EpiQuercican supplement demonstrates potential as an adjunct in combating ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae.
• The precise antibacterial mechanism of EpiQuercican requires further comprehensive investigation.