Synergistic effect of honey in combination with silver nanoparticles on isolated pathogens from urinary tract infection

Abstract

Background Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most prevalent bacterial infections, affecting 150 million people worldwide each year. UTIs can be caused by a variety of pathogens, but Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis are the most frequent culprits. The growth and development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria are currently a major worry for the international health community. Looking for a treatment substitute could be effective in tackling this issue. The honey has a low pH (mean 4.4) value, which makes it unfavorable for bacterial growth; undiluted honey combination with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) shows synergistic antimicrobial effect and helps lessen infection. Aim This study was undertaken to find out the effectiveness of honey containing AgNPs in the antibacterial activity of isolated urine pathogens. Patients and methods A total of 30 patients with UTI were included through purposive sampling technique, and urine samples were collected from them. A semiquantitative approach was used to cultivate specimens of urine on MacConkey agar and blood agar. After 24 h of incubation, bacterial growth was seen on the plates. Then, colonies were counted and the number of microorganisms per milliliter in the original material was calculated by multiplying the number of CFUs by 1000. Results A total of 10 bacterial isolates were found in the 30 urine samples, and biochemical studies showed that these isolates were from three different species. The most common strain of E. coli represented 82%, followed by P. aeruginosa (12%) and P. mirabilis (6%). In all three organisms examined with undiluted honey mixed with AgNPs, the zone of inhibition was more pronounced when compared with only honey, AgNPs, and diluted honey mixed with AgNPs. Conclusion The results of the current investigation showed that multifloral honey combined with AgNPs was effective against urinary infections.