ACS Infect Dis. 2019 Nov 11. doi: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.9b00307. [Epub ahead of print]

Neisseria gonorrhoeae Becomes Susceptible to Polymyxin B and Colistin in the Presence of PBT2.

Jen FE¹, Everest-Dass AV¹, El-Deeb IM¹, Singh S¹, Haselhorst T¹, Walker MJ², von Itzstein M¹, Jennings MP¹.

Author information

1

Institute for Glycomics , Griffith University , Gold Coast Campus , Southport , Queensland 4222 , Australia.

2

School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Queensland 4072 , Australia.

Abstract

Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae) causes the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea, which has a global incidence of 106 million cases per year. No vaccine is available to prevent the disease, and the emergence of multidrug resistant (MDR) strains makes N. gonorrhoeae an immediate public health threat. Here, we show that an ionophore, PBT2, can reverse the intrinsic resistance of N. gonorrhoeae to polymyxin B and colistin. These antibiotics administered in combination with PBT2 may be an effective path to treat MDR gonococcal infections.