Antibacterial activity of synthetic 1,3-bis(aryloxy)propan-2-amines against Gram-positive bacteria.

Synthetic 1,3-bis(aryloxy)propan-2-amines have been shown in previous studies to possess several biological activities, such as antifungal and antiprotozoal. In the present study, we describe the antibacterial activity of new synthetic 1,3-bis(aryloxy)propan-2-amines against Gram-positive pathogens (Streptococcus pyogenes, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus) including Methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains. Our compounds showed minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) in the range of 2.5-10 µg/ml (5.99-28.58 µM), against different bacterial strains. The minimal bactericidal concentrations found were similar to MIC, suggesting a bactericidal mechanism of action of these compounds. Furthermore, possible molecular targets were suggested by chemical similarity search followed by docking approaches. Our compounds are similar to known ligands targeting the cell division protein FtsZ, Quinolone resistance protein norA and the Enoyl-[acyl-carrier-protein] reductase FabI. Taken together, our data show that synthetic 1,3-bis(aryloxy)propan-2-amines are active against Gram-positive bacteria, including multidrug-resistant strains and can be a promising lead in the development of new antibacterial compounds for the treatment of these infections.

Recovery of resistant bacteria from mattresses of patients under contact precautions.

BACKGROUND: Microorganisms may contaminate hospital mattresses even after terminal cleaning. We investigated the recovery of resistant bacteria from the mattresses of patients under contact precautions at a university hospital. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study. Samples were obtained from the surface of mattresses, spread on replicate organism detection and counting plates, and cultivated at 37°C for 48 hours. After collecting samples, we identified microorganisms and tested for antimicrobial susceptibility using the Vitek 2 (bioMérieux SA, Marcy-l'Etoile, France) automation system. RESULTS: We evaluated 51 mattresses. A total of 26 had resistant bacteria on the surface; the predominant species were Acinetobacter baumannii (69.2%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (11.5%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (11.5%). The median length of hospital stay was 41 days; the bed occupancy for patients under contact precautions and the time at which the patient was diagnosed as a carrier of resistant bacteria was 18 days. CONCLUSIONS: The phenotypic similarity of A baumannii in inpatient units (mattresses) suggests circulation of the same strain. These results highlight the importance of controlling the potential spread of microorganisms through hospital mattresses.