A Novel Approach Targeting Coagulase-Negative Staphylococcal Infections: Rifabutin's Antibacterial Potential

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are opportunistic pathogens causing healthcare-associated infections.
• Multidrug resistance in CoNS, particularly to beta-lactam antibiotics, limits treatment options.
• Biofilm formation by CoNS further complicates infection management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial activity of rifabutin against clinical isolates of CoNS.
• To determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of rifabutin for various CoNS species.
• To assess rifabutin as a potential alternative therapy for CoNS infections.

Main Methods:

• Collected 70 clinical CoNS isolates from King Abdulaziz University Hospital.
• Identified and profiled CoNS susceptibility using the Vitek 2 system.
• Determined rifabutin's MIC via broth microdilution, testing serial two-fold dilutions.

Main Results:

• Rifabutin exhibited potent in vitro activity against CoNS, with MICs ranging from 0.016 to 0.063 µg/mL.
• The majority of isolates showed MICs of 0.0312 µg/mL (41.4%) or 0.063 µg/mL (37.1%).
• Consistent susceptibility across different CoNS species suggests uniform efficacy.

Conclusions:

• Rifabutin demonstrates significant antimicrobial potential against CoNS.
• Its effectiveness against beta-lactam resistant strains makes it a promising therapeutic candidate.
• Further in vivo studies are recommended to explore clinical applications.