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Effect Oral Administration Ampicillin on the Ecological Balance of rat Enterococcal gut Microbiota

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Abstract

The main objective of this work is to investigate the impact of oral administration of ampicillin on the ecological balance of enterococci in the intestinal microbiota of rats during a treatment and a post-treatment. The results have showed that the treated animals excreted significantly higher percentages of resistant enterococci compared to the control group (P ≤ 0.05) during the treatment and after the treatment. The most predominant species selected after the treatment began were Enterococcus faecium. The MICs for ampicillin for all isolates of E. faecium were 32 to 64 µg/mL, with the exception of two strains (TR1LBMB, TR5LBMB), were found to be highly resistant (MICs ≥ 128 µg/mL). Quantification of ampicillin in faeces by the RT-HPLC showed that the significant increase in the number of ampicillin-resistant enterococci was associated with the gradual accumulation of high levels of unabsorbed ampicillin in the faeces. Our results suggest that ampicillin treatment can now be understood as a side effect contributing to the increase in the number of resistant Enterococcus strains, particularly E. faecium strains, recognized as important nosocomial pathogens.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MESRS; CNEPRU F01820090065) and General Directorate for Scientific Research and Technological Development (DGRSDT; 012/2000). Authors wish to thank Y. BELLIL and Dr M. MOKHTAR for technical support and helpful discussion. Funding was provided by Laboratory of Microorganisms Biology and Biotechnology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of microorganisms biology and biotechnology, University of Oran1 Ahmed Benbella, B.P. 16, Es-Sénia, 31100, Oran, Algeria

    Taha Ahmed Benabbou, Halima Zadi Karam & Nour-Eddine Karam

  2. Department of Biology, Faculty of Nature Science and Life, Hassiba Benbouali University of Chlef, Hay Salem, National road N° 19, 02000, Chlef, Algeria

    Taha Ahmed Benabbou

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  1. Taha Ahmed Benabbou
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Correspondence to Taha Ahmed Benabbou.

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Benabbou, T.A., Karam, H.Z. & Karam, NE. Effect Oral Administration Ampicillin on the Ecological Balance of rat Enterococcal gut Microbiota. Curr Microbiol 76, 329–337 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-019-01635-6

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