Aims: The aim of this study was to analyse the antimycotic properties of Melaleuca alternifolia essential oil (tea tree oil, TTO) and its principal components and to compare them with the activity of 5-fluorocytosine and amphotericin B. Methods and Results:The screening for the antimycotic activity was performed by serial twofold dilutions in Roswell Park Memorial Institute medium with the inclusion of Tween-80 (0AE5%). TTO and terpinen-4-olo were the most active compounds. Conclusions: The majority of the organisms were sensitive to the essential oil, with TTO and terpinen-4-olo being the most active oils showing antifungal activity at minimum inhibitory concentration values lower than other drugs. Significance and Impact of the study: This study provides a sample large enough to determine the antifungal properties of TTO and terpinen-4-olo and suggests further studies for a possible therapeutic use.

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Melaleuca alternifolia Cheel essential oil (TTO) and its major component terplnen-t-ol were examined against a large number of clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus to establish their antistaphylococcal activities. Classic and established procedures were used to study M.I.e., time-kill curves, synergism and mutational frequency. The anti-staphylococcal activity of terpinen-d-ol and TTO were superior to those of antibiotics belonging to the major families (all the tested drugs are for topical use or included in ointments, eye drops or used during surgery); terpinen 4-01 and TTO were active against strains resistant to mupirocin, fusidic acid, vancomycin, methicillin and linezolid. TTO and terpinen-4-01 were bactericidal as revealed by time-kill curves; the frequency of mutational frequency to TTO was < 2.9xl0 9 • The study demonstrates good anti-staphylococcal activity of TTO and terpinen-a-ol against a large number of S.aureus isolates and suggests the possible application of these agents for topical treatment of staphylococcal infections. This is the first extensive study on the anti-staphylococcal activity ofTTO. The results suggest that this compound may have application as a topical agent for the control of superficial staphylococcal infections, including activity against organisms resistant to antibiotics which can be used, or are specific, for topical use.

A case of infant botulism in a 9 week-old female is described. A strain of C. botulinum type B was isolated from the feces of the baby. The epidemiologic study detected in a sample of home canned honey Clostridium botulinum spores of the same serotype that was isolated from the patient. The honey had been used only to sweeten the pacifier of the baby. This is the first case of infant botulism in Europe linked conclusively to honey.

This paper proposes an improved high throughput microbial method for the simultaneous performance of first and second level screening for antibacterial residues in meat. It is based on growth inhibition of B. subtilis on agar medium pH 6, 7.2 and 8, of B. cereus on agar medium pH 5.9, of M. luteus on agar medium pH 8 and of E. coli on agar medium pH 7.2 (research or first level screening) and on the use of confirmatory solutions (Pase, Paba, MgSO4) for the identification or second level screening. In kidney control samples, dialysis membranes were interposed between samples and the agar surface to both prevent the action of lysozyme and reduce false positive results. The proposed method detects beta-lactams, sulfonamides, tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, macrolides and quinolones at MRL concentrations and reliably indicates the inhibitor family. Results are obtained in 18-24 h.