scholarly journals Virucidal effect of monogalactosyl diacylglyceride from a green microalga, Coccomyxa sp. KJ, against clinical isolates of SARS‐CoV‐2 as assessed by a plaque assay

Author(s):  
Kyoko Hayashi ◽  
Satomi Asai ◽  
Kazuo Umezawa ◽  
Hidehumi Kakizoe ◽  
Hayato Miyachi ◽  
...  
Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (22) ◽  
pp. 6900
Author(s):  
Damariz Marín-Palma ◽  
Jorge H. Tabares-Guevara ◽  
María I. Zapata-Cardona ◽  
Lizdany Flórez-Álvarez ◽  
Lina M. Yepes ◽  
...  

Due to the scarcity of therapeutic approaches for COVID-19, we investigated the antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin against SARS-CoV-2 using in vitro models. The cytotoxicity of curcumin was evaluated using MTT assay in Vero E6 cells. The antiviral activity of this compound against SARS-CoV-2 was evaluated using four treatment strategies (i. pre–post infection treatment, ii. co-treatment, iii. pre-infection, and iv. post-infection). The D614G strain and Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 were used, and the viral titer was quantified by plaque assay. The anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) using qPCR and ELISA. By pre–post infection treatment, Curcumin (10 µg/mL) exhibited antiviral effect of 99% and 99.8% against DG614 strain and Delta variant, respectively. Curcumin also inhibited D614G strain by pre-infection and post-infection treatment. In addition, curcumin showed a virucidal effect against D614G strain and Delta variant. Finally, the pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8) released by PBMCs triggered by SARS-CoV-2 were decreased after treatment with curcumin. Our results suggest that curcumin affects the SARS-CoV-2 replicative cycle and exhibits virucidal effect with a variant/strain independent antiviral effect and immune-modulatory properties. This is the first study that showed a combined (antiviral/anti-inflammatory) effect of curcumin during SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, additional studies are required to define its use as a treatment for the COVID-19.


Author(s):  
Mahtab Sadat Madani Boroujeni ◽  
Mohammadreza Mahzounieh ◽  
Azizollah Ebrahimi Kahrizsangi ◽  
Soudabeh Rostami ◽  
Azam Mokhtari ◽  
...  

Background: Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a major cause of nosocomial infections in humans and animals. Because of the widespread resistance to antibiotics, microbiologists are trying to find other therapeutic interventions such as phage therapy for bacterial infections. Objectives: The present study aimed to isolate staphylophages with lytic effects on methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) clinical isolates as a potential alternative agent to antibiotic therapy. Methods: This experimental, descriptive study is performed in the Microbiology Laboratory of Shahrekord University (Iran) from September 2018 to March 2019. Two cocktails of staphylophages were isolated from Isfahan (Iran) urban sewage samples. The double-layer agar method was used to detect lytic phages. Morphology characteristic by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images was used to identify staphylophages. One hundred and thirty three S. aureus were isolated from clinical samples of two teaching hospitals in Isfahan and Shiraz, Iran. Methicillin resistance and the presence of the mecA gene were determined by the disk diffusion method and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, respectively. The phage susceptibility of mecA positive isolates was determined by plaque assay. Results: Two staphylophage cocktails were prepared, which had lytic effects on forty-four MRSA isolates. Cocktails 1 and 2 lysed 19 (14.2%) and 25 (18.7%) isolates, respectively. Of 133 S. aureus isolates, 88.7% carried the mecA gene. Conclusions: Different bacteriophages in two phage cocktails had relatively good lytic effects on S. aureus clinical isolates. Therefore, phage cocktails may be an appropriate alternative to antibiotics against S. aureus.


2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 40-57
Author(s):  
Abdulghani Alsamarai ◽  
Shler Khorshed ◽  
Imad Weli

Background: Antibiotic resistance emerged as clinical problem challenge the effective treatment of infections. Virulence factor may play an important role in the influence of antimicrobial resistance. Objective: To determine the frequency of resistance gene in E. coli clinical isolates from women with urinary tract infection. Materials and Methods: Fifteen E.coli clinical isolates were tested by PCR to determine their molecular characterization. Results: The bla CTX –M gene was not detected in 6.7% out of the tested 15 E. coli clinical isolates from women with urinary tract infection. However, bla OXA gene was detected in all E. coli tested clinical isolates from pregnant women, female student and diabetic women with urinary tract infection. While bla TEM gene and bla SHV gene were not detected in 33.3% and 40% out of the tested E. coli clinical isolates respectively. Conclusions: Four types of ESBL genes were detected, and shows new trend of distribution, which indicated the predominance of OXA and CTX-M genes.


2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 152-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nazar M Abdalla ◽  
Waleed O Haimour ◽  
Amani A Osman ◽  
Hassan Abdul Aziz

General objectives: This study aimed at assessment of factors affecting antimicrobial sensitivity in Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates from Assir region, Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: In this study, eighty one patients presented with Staph. aureus infections either nosocomial or community acquired infections were involved by collecting nasal swabs from them at Aseer Central Hospital General Lab. These patients were from all age groups and from males and females during the period of Jan 2011- Jun 2011. These samples were undergone variable laboratory procedures mainly; bactech, culture media, antibiotics sensitivity test using diffusion disc test (MIC) and molecular (PCR) for detection of mec A gene. Clinical and laboratory data were recorded in special formats and analyzed by statistical computer program (SPSS). Results: Showed that; Descriptive and analytical statistical analysis were performed and final results were plotted in tables. In Staph aureus MecA gene positive cases (50) showed: Oxacillin/ Mithicillin, Ciprofloxacin and Fusidin resistant in diabetic patients were 13, 26.0%, 9, 18% and 7, 14% respectively and in non diabetic patients were 37, 74.0%, 22, 44% and 20, 40% respectively. While no sensitivity in diabetic and non diabetic patients using Oxacillin/ Mithicillin. In Staph aureus MecA gene negative cases (31) showed: Oxacillin/ Mithicillin, sensitivity in diabetic patients (5, 16.1%) and in non diabetic were (26, 83.9%). While no resistant in diabetic and non diabetic patients. In Ciprofloxacin and Fusidin resistant in diabetic patients were 1, 3.2% and 1, 3.2% respectively and in non diabetic patients were 12, 38.7% and 7, 22.6%respectively. Erythromycin in Staph aureus ( MecA gene) positive cases (50) showed: resistant in age (0-15) years were (5, 10%), (16-50) years were (16, 32%) and ( ›50 years) were (12, 24%). Erythromycin in Staph aureus (MecA gene) negative cases (31) showed: resistant in age (0-15) years were (6, 19.3%), (16-50) years were (5, 16.1%) and ( ›50 years) were (3, 9.7%). Conclusion: Drugs resistance is a major progressive multifactorial problem facing the treatment of Staph aureus infections. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jom.v13i2.12750 J Medicine 2012; 13 : 152-159


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