Probiotic-Loaded Bacterial Cellulose as an Alternative to Combat Carbapenem-Resistant Bacterial Infections

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Biomaterials Science
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) pose a significant global health threat, necessitating novel treatment strategies.
• Carbapenem-resistant bacteria are identified as critical pathogens by the World Health Organization (WHO).
• Development of new antibacterials is a priority to combat infections caused by carbapenem-resistant bacteria.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel living materials for combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB).
• To investigate the potential of probiotic-loaded bacterial cellulose (BC) as an alternative treatment.
• To evaluate the efficacy of *Lactobacillus plantarum* (Lp) and *Lactobacillus fermentum* (Lf) incorporated into BC against carbapenem-resistant bacteria.

Main Methods:

• Incorporation of *Lactobacillus plantarum* (Lp), *Lactobacillus fermentum* (Lf), and a mixture of both into bacterial cellulose (BC).
• Testing the efficacy of these probiotic-loaded BC materials against carbapenem-resistant enterobacteria (CRE) like *Klebsiella pneumoniae* and *Enterobacter cloacae*, and *Pseudomonas aeruginosa*.
• Assessing the activity of probiotics alone versus when incorporated into the BC matrix.

Main Results:

• Probiotic-loaded bacterial celluloses effectively inhibited the proliferation of three ARB strains, including two carbapenem-resistant enterobacteria (CRE) and one carbapenem-resistant *Pseudomonas aeruginosa*.
• Probiotics (*L. plantarum*, *L. fermentum*, and their mixture) showed increased antibacterial activity upon incorporation into BC.
• The living materials demonstrated enhanced stability, maintaining bacterial activity for up to two months.

Conclusions:

• Living materials formed by probiotics within a bacterial cellulose matrix exhibit enhanced antibacterial activity against ARB.
• The BC matrix significantly boosts the antimicrobial efficacy of *Lactobacillus* species against carbapenem-resistant pathogens.
• These probiotic-loaded BC materials represent a promising, stable, and long-lasting strategy for combating critical antibiotic-resistant infections.