Resensitization of Multi Drug-Resistant Aeromonas caviae with Exogenous Hydrogen Sulfide Potentiated Antibiotics.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing public health threat caused by the widespread overuse of antibiotics. Bacteria with antibiotic resistance may acquire resistance genes from soil or water. Endogenous hydrogen sulfide (HS) production in bacteria confers antibiotic tolerance in many, suggesting a universal defense mechanism against antibiotics. In this study, we isolated and identified soil-based antibiotic-resistant bacteria collected from contaminated areas. An antibiotic-resistant bacterium was identified as non-endogenous-HS-producing, allowing us to examine the effect of exogenous HS on its resistance mechanism. Therefore, we demonstrated that different classes of antibiotic resistance can be reverted by employing HS with antibiotics like ampicillin and gentamicin. Methods like Kirby-Bauer Disk-Diffusion, Scanning Electron Microscopy, and Flow Cytometer analysis were performed to assess the antibacterial activity of HS with ampicillin and gentamicin. The antioxidative efficiency of HS was evaluated using the DCFH-DA (ROS) test, as well as lipid peroxidation, and LDH activity. These were further confirmed with enzymatic and non-enzymatic (SOD, CAT, GST, and GSH) antioxidant studies. These findings support HS as an antibiotic-potentiator, causing bacterial membrane damage, oxidative stress, and disrupting DNA and proteins. Thus, supplying exogenous HS can be a good agent for the reversal of Antibiotic resistance.