Preferences Inhibition of carbapenemase-carrying enterobacteriaceae with peptide secretions from native Ecuadorian amphibians.

Abstract

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics represents a major public health problem, especially resist the one produced by betalactamases enzymes, which block an important antibiotic group, the betalactamic antibiotics. These antibiotics are widely used for the treatment of human infections. Extended spectrum betalactamase producing bacteria (ESBL) are of the greatest concern, since they are an important group in the etiology of both severe and non-severe infections. Carbapenems are betalactamic antibiotics for the treatment of ESBL bacterial infections and have become inefficient due to emerging carbapenem resistant strains. Given the lack of therapeutic options, the aims of this study were the molecular characterization of carbapenemase producing bacteria and possible inhibition of this enzyme with peptid secretions of a native Ecuadorian bufonid frog (Anura: Bufonidae). Fifty- seven carbapenem resistant enteric bacteria from hospitalized patients were characterized. The blaKPC, blaGES, blaVIM and blaIMP genes were molecularly identified from bacteria. The most prevalent genes were blaKPC y blaGES, followed by blaVIM and blaIMP. Carbapenemase activity from every isolate was inhibited by the bufonid peptide. The minimal inhibitory concentration was 250 μg/ml for Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratia marcescens, Enterobacter aerogenes and Escherichia cloacae, 125 μg/ml for Morganella morganii, 62.5 μg/ml for Klebsiella oxytoca and Serratia rubidaea and 31.3 μg/ml for Escherichia coli. The betalactamase genes present in motile genetic elements facilitate the spread of these genes in bacterial populations. It is important to analyze new antimicrobial compounds to combat the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens.