Publications by authors named "Nimsha S Weerakkody"
Effectiveness of selective antibiotics use in ESBL-related UTIs.
BMC Microbiol
September 2024
Article Synopsis
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs) affect millions globally, with a rising concern over Enterobacteriaceae species that produce extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), making treatment more challenging.
- A study at a district hospital in Polonnaruwa analyzed 4386 urine specimens, revealing 200 cases with ESBL isolates, primarily E. coli, especially among patients aged 55-74 and predominantly from the In-Patient Department.
- The research highlighted Mecillinam and Nitrofurantoin as the most effective oral antibiotics against E. coli and other species, with Nitrofurantoin showing notable effectiveness against Klebsiella spp. and other Enterobacteriaceae.
Kombucha fermentation is traditionally carried out by inoculating a previously grown tea fungal mat into a freshly prepared tea broth and incubating under aerobic conditions for 7-10 days. In this study, four kombucha beverages were prepared by placing the tea fungal mats in sugared Sri Lankan black tea at varying concentrations for a period of 8 weeks. The antioxidant activities, physicochemical, and qualitative properties were monitored prior to the commencement of the fermentation process, one day after the inoculation with the microorganisms and subsequently on a weekly basis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTwo spice and herb extract combinations from galangal (Alpinia galanga), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), and lemon iron bark (Eucalyptus staigerana) were evaluated for their ability to inhibit the growth of inoculated Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus and naturally present spoilage microflora on cooked ready-to-eat shrimp stored for 16 days at 4 or 8 °C. A combination of galangal, rosemary, and lemon iron bark significantly reduced (P < 0.05) levels of aerobic bacteria and lactic acid bacteria at 4 °C on day 12 by 1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: In this study the synergistic antimicrobial activities of combinations of extracts from galangal (Alpinia galanga), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and lemon iron bark (Eucalyptus staigerana) were evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium and Clostridium perfringens. Chemical compositions of these extracts were also determined to provide further insight into antimicrobial constituents and their potential mechanisms of action.
Results: Combinations of galangal with either rosemary or lemon iron bark showed synergistic antimicrobial activity.