The implants are increasingly being a part of modern medicine in various surgical procedures for functional or cosmetic purposes. The progressive use of implants is associated with increased infectious complications and prevention of such infections always remains precedence in the clinical settings. The preventive approaches include the systemic administration of antimicrobial agents before and after the surgical procedures as well as the local application of antibiotics. The relevant literature and existing clinical practices have highlighted the role of antimicrobial coating approaches in the prevention of implants associated infections, although the applications of these strategies are not yet standardized, and the clinical efficacy is not much clear. The adequate data from the randomized control trials is challenging because of the unavailability of a large sample size although it is compulsory in this context to assess the clinical efficacy of preemptive practices. This review compares the efficacy of preventive approaches and the prospects of antimicrobial-coated implants in preventing implant-related infections.

Extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Salmonella Typhi has been reported in Sindh province of Pakistan since 2016. The potential for further spread is of serious concern as remaining treatment options are severely limited. We report the phenotypic and genotypic characterization of 27 XDR S. Typhi isolated from patients attending Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan. Isolates were identified by biochemical profiling; antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by a modified Kirby–Bauer method. These findings were confirmed using Illumina whole genome nucleotide sequence data. All sequences were compared to the outbreak strain from Southern Pakistan and typed using the S. Typhi genotyping scheme. All isolates were confirmed by a sequence analysis to harbor an IncY plasmid and the CTX-M-15 ceftriaxone resistance determinant. All isolates were of the same genotypic background as the outbreak strain from Sindh province. We report the first emergence of XDR S. Typhi in Punjab province of Pakistan confirmed by whole genome sequencing.

Manuka honey can be used as an alternate therapeutic approach for management of New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-producing pathogens.

The discovery of antibiotics was hailed as a historic breakthrough for the human race in the fight against bacterial and malignant infections. However, in a very short time, owing to their acute and aggressive nature, bacteria have developed resistance against antibiotics and other chemotherapeutics agents. Potentially, this situation could again result in bacterial infection outbreaks. Metal and metal oxide nanoparticles have been proven as better alternatives; the combination of antibiotics and metal oxide nanoparticles was shown to decrease the toxicity and enhance the antibacterial, antiviral, and anticancer efficacy of the agents. This review provides a detailed view about the role of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles in the treatment of infections in conjunction with antibiotics, their modes of action, and synergism. In addition, the problems of multidrug resistance are addressed and will allow the development of a comprehensive, reliable, and rational treatment plan. It is expected that this comprehensive review will lead to new research opportunities, which should be helpful for future applications in biomedical science.

Introduction: The multidrug-resistant (MDR) Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi isolates have been increasingly reported from the Asian and African countries. The emergence of isolates with decreased susceptibility to fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins has worsened the situation. Recently, an outbreak from Sindh, Pakistan was reported caused by extensively drug-resistant (XDR) S. Typhi strains. Methodology: In the present study, a total of 82 cases of typhoid have been investigated during 2018 from the febrile children referred to a tertiary care hospital in the population-wise largest province (Punjab) of Pakistan. S. Typhi was identified by standard microbiological techniques and isolates were characterized for antimicrobial resistance profiling and minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined. The presence of various ESBL genes in S. Typhi was confirmed by the PCR. Results: Out of the 82 isolates tested, 35 (43%) were found to be XDR; resistant to the first-line drugs. The resistance to third-generation cephalosporins was mainly mediated by extended-spectrum beta-lactamases i.e. blaTEM and blaCTX-M genes. Conclusions: The higher prevalence of ESBL producing Salmonella typhi clinical strains raises the concern about transmission prevention and infection management in the community as well as clinical settings. Moreover, the study highlights the problem concerning the declining antibiotic arsenal for the therapeutic management of typhoid fever and the emergence and spread of XDR strains in Pakistan.