Bacterial biofilm has become one of the most frequent health problems as it contributes to persistent chronic infections. Therefore, it is vital to find alternatives to currently used bactericidal agents to prevent bacterial contamination on surfaces effectively and prevent the biofilms formation. Several metallic materials are well known for their antimicrobial activity; this includes copper, copper alloys, silver, gold, titanium, and zinc. On the other hand, some metals, such as aluminum, do not have noteworthy antimicrobial properties. In this study, we demonstrate that the antibacterial activity of household aluminum foil can be enhanced by nanostructuring the foil's surface by a simple hot water treatment (HWT) process. Cultures of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were grown on nutrient agar while exposed to the samples of treated and untreated Al foils and left for 24 h. Our results indicate that treated Al foil can more effectively inhibit the bacteria growth compared to the regular untreated Al foil. This enhancement in antibacterial property might be due to a combination of chemical and morphological changes that the cell undergoes once it encounters nanofeatures of HWT-Al foil surface.

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The biological properties of plant oils are improved by their conversion to nanoemulsions (NEs). This study evaluated the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-hemolytic efficacy of coconut and salad rocket oils and their NEs. The result of the gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy analysis of the oils showed varied constituents such as palmitic acid, trimethylsilyl ester; 2,3-bis(acetyloxy)propyl laurate in salad rocket oil, 2-lauro-1,3-didecoin, n-butyl laurate; laurin, tri-; laurin in coconut oil. NEs diameter of salad rocket and coconut oils was 24.6 and 29.2 nm, respectively. More inhibitory activity of NEs compared with non-NEs form against Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus flavus was detected. Coconut oil and its NEs caused 14.3% (anti-hemolysis 85.7%) and 22% hemolysis (anti-hemolysis 78%), respectively. Salad rocket oil and its NEs caused hemolysis 3.4% and 20.9%, respectively at 1000 µg/mL. Antioxidant activity of salad rocket and coconut oil reflected more IC50 (39.3 and 109.4 µg/mL) than its NEs (35.8 and 80.5 µg/mL), respectively. Molecular docking of trimethylsilyl ester and 2-lauro-1,3-didecoin against S. aureus (PDB=7BGE) and C. albicans protein (PDB=3DRA) revealed optimal binding mode that had the most energy interaction with the binding sites.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a foodborne pathogen transmitted from animal to humans through contaminated food. Here, we report the draft genome sequences of six STEC isolates (six serotypes) from food (cheese, coriander, and pea protein pellets) in different countries; these isolates were resistant to tetracycline, with MIC values ranging from <1.5 to 256 μg/mL.

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We report the draft genome sequences of 14 fluoroquinolone-resistant Escherichia coli strains that were isolated from imported shrimp. All isolates contained multiple point mutations in the quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDRs) and non-QRDRs of gyrA , parC , and parE genes. The data improve the understanding of fluoroquinolone resistance and indicate resistance mechanisms.

We report here the draft genome sequences of 16 fluoroquinolone-resistant extraintestinal Escherichia coli isolates from human patients. These isolates had high MICs (32 to 256 μg/mL) for ciprofloxacin and contained point mutations in the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) of both gyrA and parC that confer resistance to fluoroquinolone.