Molecular characteristics and in vitro effects of antimicrobial combinations on planktonic and biofilm forms of Elizabethkingia anophelis

Objectives To investigate the in vitro activity of antibiotics against clinical Elizabethkingia anophelis isolates and to find a suitable antibiotic combination with synergistic effects to combat antibiotic-resistant E. anophelis and its associated biofilm. Methods E. anophelis isolates were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing; 30 strains with different pulsotypes were identified and the MIC, antibiotic resistance mechanism, antibiotic combination activity and killing effects of antimicrobial agents on biofilms of these strains were determined. Results All E. anophelis isolates were susceptible to minocycline and cefoperazone/sulbactam (1:1). More than 90% of clinical isolates were susceptible to cefoperazone/sulbactam (1:0.5), piperacillin/tazobactam and rifampicin. Some novel mutations, such as gyrA G81D, parE D585N and parC P134T, that have never been reported before, were identified. The synergistic effect was most prominent for the combination of minocycline and rifampicin, with 93.3% of their FIC index values ≤0.5, and no antagonism was observed using the chequerboard method. This synergistic effect between minocycline and rifampicin was also observed using time–killing methods for clinical E. anophelis isolates at both normal inoculum and high inoculum. Twenty-nine isolates tested positive for biofilm formation. Minocycline remained active against biofilm-embedded and biofilm-released planktonic E. anophelis cells; however, the enhanced effect of minocycline by adding rifampicin was only observed at 24 h (not at 72 and 120 h). Conclusions Although E. anophelis was resistant to many antibiotics and could exhibit biofilm formation, minocycline showed potent in vitro activity against this pathogen and its associated biofilm.