Can EDTA Change MRSA into MSSA? A Future Prospective!

INTRODUCTION: In the present era we are left behind with limited options for the treatment of serious infections caused by multidrug resistant S.aureus, most remarkably nosocomially acquired Methicillin resistant S.aureus (MRSA). The problem increases more when these strains easily become multidrug resistant (MDR) due to biofilm formation. Those staphylococcal species that are vancomycin and linezolid resistant are also resistant to other antistaphylococcal agents which call for an urgent intervention to develop newer antimicrobial agents.

AIM: The present study was undertaken with the aim to evaluate the antibiofilm effect of EDTA against the biofilm forming MRSA isolates, isolated from different clinical infections.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The biofilms formed on polystyrene microtitre plates by the MRSA strains were treated by different concentrations of EDTA to find out its anti-biofilm activity. Further simultaneously the antibiotic susceptibility pattern was noted down to check whether the MRSA strains become MSSA (Methicillin sensitive S.aureus).

RESULTS: Our data demonstrates that EDTA at 4mM concentration inhibits biofilm of MRSA and at 20 mM have an ability to reduce and dissociate the biofilm membrane, allowing the antibiotics to enter and convert MRSA strains into MSSA.

CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that commercially available EDTA could be used in future to control MRSA and its biofilm- related infections.