Studies on the antimicrobial activity of cecropin A–melittin hybrid peptides in colistin-resistant clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii

摘要

Objectives: Acinetobacter baumannii has successfully developed resistance against all common antibiotics, including colistin, one of the last active drugs against this pathogen. We have tested whether the differences in lethal mechanism between polymyxin B and the cecropin A–melittin hybrid peptide CA(1-8)M(1-18), shown previously with a colistin-susceptible strain, can be exploited as a new chemotherapeutic alternative against colistin-resistant clinical isolates. Furthermore, the effect of capsule on the bactericidal activity of cecropin A–melittin analogues (CAMs) was tested.