Enhancing Drug Efficacy against Mastitis Pathogens—An In Vitro Pilot Study in

摘要

The success rate of antibiotic treatment of mastitis is highly variable. Concurrently, the efficacy of available antibiotics is compromised by the rapid emergence of drug-resistant bacteria. Recently, it was reported that there has been a reduction in the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in food-producing animals where interventions provide for restrictions in antibiotic use. In addition, societal concerns regarding the use of antimicrobials in food animal production are putting increasing pressure on all aspects of livestock production. Here, we have conducted a systematic procedure for the identification of conserved and unique drug targets. We propose that combination therapy with drugs that work synergistically against conserved and unique targets can help increase efficacy and lower the usage of antibiotics for treating bacterial infections. An in vitro pilot validation of our findings in vitro for the two most common mastitis-causing bacteria in North America—Staphylococcus aureus and the coagulase-negative Staphylococcus epidermidis—is presented. We identified that the dosage of ceftiofur, the mostly used veterinary antibiotic, can be significantly reduced when used in combination with phytochemical phosphorylcholine.