Antibacterial Activity of the Essential Oil of Ocimum gratissimum L. against Multidrug-resistant Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli
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Abstract
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a major cause of bacterial diarrhoeal diseases, particularly in infants. Increased antibiotic resistance in ETEC intestinal infections intensifies diarrheal morbidity, leading to poor treatment outcomes and acute intestinal pathology. This study aimed to characterise ETEC and evaluate Ocimum gratissimum L. essential oil (OgEO) as an anti-diarrheic agent. One hundred sixty-one fecal samples were collected from participants with confirmed diarrhea and persistent stooling. Escherichia coli from fecal samples was biotyped using the API test kit. Obtained colonies were further examined for greenish metallic sheen on Eosin Methylene Blue. The identified E. coli were screened for haemolytic activity, antibiotic susceptibility, enterotoxins, and colonisation factor production. E. coli isolates exhibiting α-haemolysis, β-haemolysis, multidrug resistance, and enterotoxigenic characteristics were characterized using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) of OgEO were assayed against the selected multidrug-resistant and enterotoxigenic E. coli strains. Escherichia coli (16.1%) from suspected enteric bacterial pathogens were recorded. Among the E. coli isolates, 30.8% exhibited complete α-hemolysis, β-hemolysis (30.8%), and γ-hemolysis (38.4%). All the isolates showed resistance to 40% of the antibiotics, including ampiclox, imipenem, amoxicillin-clavulanate, cefuroxime, and cefixime. The isolates produced heat-stable (33%), heat-labile (25%) toxins, and colonisation factors (33%). OgEO exhibited significant antibacterial activity (MBC= 250 µg/mL; MIC=62.5 µg/mL) against the ETEC strains (p<0.05). OgEO demonstrated antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant E. coli, showing promise as a candidate for developing anti-diarrhoeal agents.
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