USING REAL-TIME POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION TO STUDY THE EFFECT OF SALICYLIC ACID AND SODIUM CHLORIDE ON THE PYOCYANIN PRODUCTION OF Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a bacterium that seizes the opportunity to cause serious infections in both man and animals. Pyocyanin is a strong virulence factor produced by P. aeruginosa. The present study was performed to explain the effect of salicylic acid (aspirin) and sodium chloride (NaCl) on P. aeruginosa and Pyocyanin using concentrations of 1.5%, 3% and 6% for aspirin and 3%, 6% and 9% for NaCl. The effectiveness of aspirin and NaCl was detected by real time PCR (qPCR). The P. aeruginosa isolate was from broilers suffering from septicemia in Zagazig city, Egypt. The study revealed that 6% and 9% concentration of NaCl had a bactericidal effect on the bacterium but 3% concentration of NaCl has an inhibitory effect on both the growth and the expression of Pyocyanin (by 0.5-fold lesser than the untreated sample). Also, data revealed that 1.5%, 3% and 6% concentrations of aspirin inhibited the growth and reduced the expression of pyocyanin with slight various degrees (by 0.7955, 0.4234, 0.1948-fold lesser than untreated sample, relatively). The results of this study could be useful in pharmacological intervention and clinical therapy as aspirin and NaCl could be combined with antimicrobial agents to treat Pseudomonas infections. Key words: Pseudomonas aeruginosa; pyocyanin; sodium chloride; salicylic acid