<i>In Vitro</i> Antibacterial Activity of Silver Nanoparticles Conjugated with Amikacin and Combined with Hyperthermia against Drug-Resistant and Biofilm-Producing Strains
Marta Palau, Estela Muñoz, Muriel F. Gustà, Nieves Larrosa, Xavier Gomis, Joan Gilabert, Benito Almirante, Víctor Puntes, Robert Texidó, Joan Gavaldà
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the greatest public health challenges, accounting for 1.27 million deaths worldwide in 2019. Biofilms, a complex microbial community, directly contribute to increased AMR. Therefore, new strategies are urgently required to combat infections caused by AMR and biofilm-producing strains. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) exhibit antimicrobial activity and can be functionalized with antibiotics. Although AgNPs are very promising, their effectiveness in complex biological environments still falls below the concentrations at which AgNPs are stable in terms of aggregation. Thus, improving the antibacterial effectiveness of AgNPs by functionalizing them with antibiotics may be a significant change to consolidate AgNPs as an alternative to antibiotics. It has been reported that hyperthermia has a large effect on the growth of planktonic and biofilm-producing strains. Therefore, we propose a new strategy based on AgNPs functionalized with amikacin and combined with hyperthermia (41°C to 42°C) to treat AMR and biofilm-related infections.