Acanthamoeba spp. can cause amoebic keratitis (AK). Chlorhexidine is effective for AK treatment as monotherapy, but with a relative failure on drug bioavailability in the deep corneal stroma. The combination of chlorhexidine and propamidine isethionate is recommended in the current AK treatment. However, the effectiveness of treatment depends on the parasite and virulence strains. This study aims to determine the potential of Garcinia mangostana pericarp extract and α-mangostin against Acanthamoeba triangularis, as well as the combination with chlorhexidine in the treatment of Acanthamoeba infection. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the extract and α-mangostin were assessed in trophozoites with 0.25 and 0.5 mg/mL, for cysts with 4 and 1 mg/mL, respectively. The MIC of the extract and α-mangostin inhibited the growth of A. triangularis trophozoites and cysts for up to 72 h. The extract and α-mangostin combined with chlorhexidine demonstrated good synergism, resulting in a reduction of 1/4–1/16 of the MIC. The SEM results showed that Acanthamoeba cells treated with a single drug and its combination caused damage to the cell membrane and irregular cell shapes. A good combination displayed by the extract or α-mangostin and chlorhexidine, described for the first time. Therefore, this approach is promising as an alternative method for the management of Acanthamoeba infection in the future.

Piper betle leaves have traditionally been used to treat many diseases, including bacterial infections. The present study aimed to investigate the antibacterial, antibio lm, and anti-adhesion activities of P. betle extract against Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC). The ethanol extract of P. betle leaves demonstrated strong antibacterial activity against clinical isolates of APEC with MIC and MBC values ranging from 0.5-1.0 mg/mL. Disruption and breakdown of the bacterial cells were detected when the cells were challenged with the extract at 2×MIC. Bacterial cells treated with the extract demonstrated longer cells without a septum, compared to the control. The extract at 1/8, 1/4, and 1/2×MIC signi cantly inhibited the formation of bacterial bio lm of the isolates (P<0.05) without inhibiting growth. At 1/2×MIC, 55% of the bio lm inhibition was detected in APEC CH09, a strong bio lm producer. At 32×MIC, 88% of the inhibition of viable cells embedded in the mature bio lm was detected in APEC CH09. Reduction in the bacterial adhesion to surfaces was shown when APEC were treated with sub-MICs of the extract as observed by SEM. The results suggested potential medicinal bene ts of P. betle extract for the treatment of the infection caused by Avian pathogenic E. coli.

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Background and Aim: Probiotics are beneficial microorganisms that play important roles by adhering to the gut and producing antimicrobial substances to inhibit pathogens. The objective of this study was to isolate and characterize the probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from Palmyra palm sugar, which can produce antimicrobial compounds against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a new zoonotic and food-borne pathogens. Materials and Methods: Twenty-six LAB isolates were isolated from 30 Palmyra palm sugar samples. Three selected LAB were further characterized as probiotics. In addition, the antibacterial and anti-biofilm-forming activities of the probiotics' culture supernatants against MRSA and food-borne pathogens were investigated. Finally, the selected probiotics were identified by aligning 16S rRNA sequences. Results: The three confirmed probiotics, WU 0904, WU 2302, and WU 2503, showed strong antibacterial activities against S. aureus, MRSA, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes, as measured by a broth microdilution assay. Among the LAB isolates, 82.22-86.58%, 91.83-96.06%, and 64.35-74.93% exhibited resistance to low pH, pancreatin treatment, and bile salts, respectively. It was found that 59.46% and 83.33% auto-aggregation was observed in 2 and 24 h, respectively. Moreover, 50.25-57.24% adhesion was detected after the incubation of the bacterial cells to Caco-2 cells. . Biofilm inhibition (82.81-87.24%) was detected after the treatment of MRSA with the culture supernatants, when compared with that to the control. By the alignment of 16S rRNA sequences, the isolate WU 2302 was identified as Lacticaseibacillus spp. with 98.82% homology when compared to the GenBank database. Conclusion: This study indicates that isolated probiotics can produce antimicrobial compounds against MRSA and food-borne pathogens. The obtained results strongly suggest that these probiotics are promising candidates for pharmaceutical products.

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Background and Aim: Bartonellosis is an emerging worldwide zoonosis caused by bacteria belonging to the genus Bartonella. Several studies have been conducted on the prevalence of Bartonella infections from animals and humans, including reports from wild and domestic ruminants. However, there has been only one report of Bartonella infection in water buffaloes from the northeastern part of Thailand. Moreover, the seroprevalence of Bartonella spp. in water buffaloes still remains unknown. This study was conducted to explore the prevalence of Bartonella spp. among water buffaloes from South Thailand using molecular and serological techniques. Materials and Methods: A total of 312 samples (156 blood and 156 sera) of 156 water buffaloes from 29 farms in Phatthalung Province, South Thailand, were collected from January to March 2021. All samples were screened for Bartonella spp. using polymerase chain reaction and indirect immunofluorescence assay. Results: The seroprevalence of antibodies against three Bartonella spp. was 16.03% (25/156, 95% confidence interval: 10.65-22.74%), and among 25 water buffaloes with seroprevalence, 56%, 20%, and 24% were positive for antibodies against Bartonella henselae, Bartonella vinsonii subspp. berkhoffii, and Bartonella tamiae, respectively. No significant difference was detected among seroprevalence, gender, age, and ectoparasite infestation. Conclusion: This is the first report of the seroprevalence of antibodies against B. henselae, B. vinsonii subspp. berkhoffii, and B. tamiae in water buffaloes from South Thailand. Further studies are required on the epidemiology of Bartonella infection among water buffaloes, related personnel, and ectoparasites.

During COVID-19 outbreak, alcohol-based hand sanitizer (ABHS) has been widely used for hand cleaning and removing pathogens including human pathogens and zoonosis pathogens. High concentration of alcohol induces dehydrated skin in the users. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate moisturizing property and antimicrobial activity of alcohol-based hand sanitizer formulations using coconut oil as a moisturizing agent against pathogens including Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The properties including antimicrobial activity, stability of the ABHS, and satisfaction levels of the coconut oil with two existing formulations by WHO and the Ministry of Public Health of Thailand (MOPH) were determined. The formulation containing the coconut oil demonstrated antibacterial activity against both E. coli and S. aureus with the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 8.75% V/V as same as MOPH. However, the WHO-modified formulation has the highest antimicrobial activity with the MIC value of 2.19% V/V. The stability result of 3 ABHSs showed that the preserved had the same efficacy compared to that of the fresh formulations. Hand washing with coconut formulation produced an average score of 7.19±1.71 on color, 7.06±1.56 on appearance, 5.82±2.10 on odor, 6.77±1.68 on moisture, 6.88±1.42 on overall acceptance out of 9. However, the sensory analysis of these three formulations results showed no significant difference in all parameters. The data suggest that moisturizing agents tested in our study do not affect the efficacy of ethanol. The coconut oil formulation is another good option for people searching for an effective hand sanitizer for germs protection and moisturizing.