Honey as an antimicrobial agent against pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from infected wounds.

BACKGROUND: As natural products garner attention in the medical field due to emergence of antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria, honey is valued for its antibacterial activity. OBJECTIVE: Fifty strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from infected wounds were evaluated for their antibacterial action using honey in comparison with different antibiotics and Dettol. METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS: All the strains were found to be sensitive to honey at a minimum inhibitory concentration of 20% in comparison with Dettol at 10% using agar dilution method. In the second step, the time kill assay was performed on five isolates of P. aeruginosa to demonstrate the bactericidal activity of honey at different dilutions of honey ranging from 20% to 100% at regular time intervals. All the isolates of P. aeruginosa tested were killed in 12-24 h depending on the dilutions of the honey tested. Thus, honey could prevent the growth of P. aeruginosa even if it was diluted by deionized water by fivefolds in vitro. Honey had almost uniform bactericidal activity against P. aeruginosa irrespective of their susceptibility to different classes of antibiotics. CONCLUSION: Honey which is a natural, non-toxic, and an inexpensive product has activity against the P. aeruginosa isolated from infected wounds may make it an alternative topical choice in the treatment of wound infections.

Empyema caused by eikenella corrodens.

Eikenella corrodens is a fastidious, facultative anerobic, non-motile, gram-negative bacilli that is part of the normal flora of the mouth and upper respiratory tract. It is being increasingly recognized as a human pathogen and has been implicated in a variety of human infections, including, periodontitis, brain abscess, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, intra-abdominal infections, and pleuropulmonary infections. We report, for the first time, from the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal, a case of left-sided empyema due to Eikenella corrodens, in an 83-year-old man. Eikenella corrodens was isolated as a pure growth from the pleural aspirate, proving its pathogenic potential. Surgical drainage and an appropriate antimicrobial therapy resulted in a therapeutic response. We have discussed the difficulties that can be encountered in isolating Eikenella corrodens and in choosing appropriate antibiotics for its treatment.