EFFECT OF SUB-MICS OF SOME ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS ON SWARMING OF PROTEUS SPP

Abstract

19 swarming isolates of genus Proteus were isolated from urinary tract infection; these isolates were cultured on different concentrations of cetrimide, methanol, tetracycline and gentamycin to study the effect of these materials on Proteus spp. swarming. The results show that all these materials have abolition effect on swarming. The sub-MICs of cetrimide had a very good effect on Proteus spp. swarming and at concentrations of 0.04%, 0.03%, 0.02% and 0.01% and the percentages of isolates that didn’t show swarming under each of the concentrations reached to 100%, 100%, 94,73% and 26.31% respectively while lower concentrations didn’t show any effect on swarming. From treatment with methanol the results reveal that the sub-MICs of methanol also had abolition effect on Proteus spp. swarming at the following concentrations: 5%, 2.5% and 1.25% and the percentages of isolates that didn’t show swarming were 94.73%, 41.6% and 8.3% respectively while lower concentrations didn’t show any effect. From treatment with tetracycline the results showed that the sub-MICs of tetracycline show a remarkable suppression effect on Proteus spp. swarming at the concentrations: 64, 32 and 16 µg/ml and the percentages of isolates that didn’t show swarming was 100%, 63.5%and 8.3% while lower concentrations didn’t show any effect on Proteus spp. swarming. Finally the effective sub-MICs of gentamycin were variable and as follows: 32,16, 8,4,2and 1 µg/ml; the percentages of isolates that didn’t show swarming were: 100%, 63.5%, 63.5%, 63.5%, 45.45% and 16.6%.