Alternative Strategies to Combat Antibacterial Resistance: Antiplasmid and Plasmid Curing among Patients with Extended Beta Lactamase associated Bacterial Keratitis in Ilorin

Abstract

Background: Antibacterial resistance genes that pose a serious threat to human medicine is found in Gram-negative bacteria especially extended spectrum β-lactamase strains (ESBLs). The resistant plasmids in ESBLs avert the effect of antibiotics. The synthetic plasmid curing agent has therapeutic toxicity in humans. This study assessed the antibacterial resistance tracing by resistant plasmid curing activities using commercial honeys as natural curing agents and synthetic agents against ESBLs associated bacterial keratitis among patients in Ilorin.

Methods: Seventy-nine corneal scraping samples were obtained from patients that presented with bacterial keratitis at Ophthalmology clinics in Ilorin. The samples were analyzed and isolates identified using standard methods. The susceptibility of the isolates to various β-lactam antibiotics was evaluated and subjected to plasmid curing experiment. Sterility test was performed on all the honey samples by culturing them on Blood agar and incubated at 37⁰C. Isolation of plasmid DNA in ESBLs was done using TENS method.    

Results: Of 22 Gram-negative isolates obtained from corneal scraping samples, seven were ESBLs bacteria. Klebsiella pneumoniae strains was the highest number (4 strains) found. Branded honey (B4) had the highest curing rate of R-plasmid encoded ESBLs 9 (75.0%). The comparison of curing rate of R-plasmids curing agents showed Sodium dodecyl sulfate 11 (91.7%), Ethidium bromide 10 (83.3%) F test=3.275; p<0.003, Branded honey 9(75.0%), and Local honey 8 (66.7%); F test=3.293; p< 0.003 at 95% confidence interval.

Conclusion: This study showed that branded and local honey samples are good alternative natural curing agents as they both had significant curing activity for R-plasmid encoded ESBLs.