Antimicrobial Effect of Imipenem-Functionalized Fe2O3 Nanoparticles on Pseudomonas aeruginosa Producing Metallo β-lactamases

Background: Resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to imipenem was medical treatment problem, especially in burnt units of hospitals. Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the antimicrobial effect of Fe2O3 nanoparticles alone and functionalized with imipenem on P. aeruginosa starins producing metallo b-lactamases (MBL). Materials and Methods: A disk diffusion method was used to isolate a clinical P. aeruginosa producing Metallo b-lactamases with imipenem resistance. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Fe2O3 nanoparticles and imipenem were calculated against the bacteria. The antimicrobial effect of nanoparticles functionalized with the antibiotic was determined. Standard strain of P. aeruginosa ATCC: 27853 was used as control. Results: The clinical sample was resistant to imipenem (up to 28 mg.mL-1). Similarly, MIC of the nanoparticles against the isolate was 160 mg.mL-1. Subsequently, the combination of 16 pg.mL-1 of antibiotic with 80 mg.mL-1 of Fe2O3 nanoparticles were able to inhibit the growth of the isolate. Conclusions: Fe2O3 nanoparticles functionalized with imipenem can impair antibiotic resistance mechanisms of bacteria as it can make the imipenem resistant the aforementioned bacterium more susceptible to weaker concentrations of antibiotic. It also has its own antibacterial effect in certain concentrations.