Background: Multidrug-resistant bacteria cause over 700,000 deaths annually, a figure projected to reach 10 million by 2050. Among these bacteria, the ESKAPEE group is notable for its multiple resistance mechanisms. Given the high costs of developing new antimicrobials and the rapid emergence of resistance, drug repositioning offers a promising alternative. Results: This study evaluates the antibacterial activity of sertraline and paroxetine. When tested against clinical and reference strains from the ESKAPEE group, sertraline exhibited minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values between 15 and 126 μg/mL, while the MIC values for paroxetine ranged from 60 to 250 μg/mL. Both drugs effectively eradicated bacterial populations within 2 to 24 h and caused morphological changes, such as protrusions and cellular fragmentation, as shown by electron scanning microscopy. Regarding their mechanisms of action as antibacterials, for the first time, increased membrane permeability was detected, as evidenced by heightened dye absorption, along with the increased presence of total proteins and dsDNA in the extracellular medium of Escherichia coli ATCC2 25922 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, and oxidative stress was also detected in bacteria treated with sertraline and paroxetine, with reduced efficiency observed in the presence of antioxidants and higher levels of oxygen-reactive species evidenced by their reaction with 6-carboxy-2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate. The drugs also inhibited bacterial efflux pumps, increasing ethidium bromide accumulation and enhancing tetracycline activity in resistant strains. Conclusions: These findings indicate that sertraline and paroxetine could serve as alternative treatments against multidrug-resistant bacteria, as well as efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs), and they support further development of antimicrobial agents based on these compounds.

This review discusses emerging in vitro and in vivo strategies for the control of Acinetobacter baumannii, a critical multidrug-resistant pathogen; the increasing isolation of strains resistant to multiple drugs, including newly developed and last-resort antibiotics, has highlighted the urgent need to pursue adjunctive therapeutic technologies. The article aims to provide an overview of alternative control approaches beyond conventional antibiotics. Emphasis is placed on strategies based on the disruption of essential metabolic pathways, nanotechnology-based approaches such as antibiotic-coated nanoparticles, in vivo bacteriophage therapy, and drug repurposing, specifically compounds such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), as a means of exploiting already approved pharmaceuticals. By synthesizing recent findings, this review highlights current advances in the development of innovative therapeutic strategies against A. baumannii infections.

As doenças transmitidas por alimentos (DTAs) constituem uma das principais preocupações da saúde pública. Os manipuladores de alimentos precisam estar cada vez mais conscientes dos riscos que existem ao manusearem os alimentos de maneira inadequada. Muitas DTAs podem ser prevenidas se os manipuladores forem mais bem capacitados e conscientizados dos cuidados necessários para as boas práticas de higiene na manipulação de alimentos. Sendo assim, o objetivo deste projeto de extensão foi promover a segurança dos alimentos na escola ao proporcionar às merendeiras e aos auxiliares de cozinha, conhecimentos de microbiologia por meio de aulas teórico-práticas sobre microbiologia básica, coloração de Gram, microbiota, importância dos microrganismos para os alimentos, microrganismos patogênicos, desinfecção de alimentos e aspectos nutricionais. As aulas foram ministradas por discentes de programas de Pós-graduação da Universidade Estadual de Londrina. Atendemos 220 merendeiras de Londrina e região e, através de entrevistas, ouvimos seus relatos sobre as mudanças nas práticas realizadas na preparação de alimentos dentro das escolas e em suas casas; relataram também a importância do curso na aprendizagem sobre os cuidados e higienização dos alimentos. Como parte da avaliação do curso, algumas turmas responderam um questionário, antes e após o curso, sobre o conteúdo ministrado. Assim, foi constatado que o projeto promoveu uma maior conscientização dos cuidados com a manipulação de alimentos e quanto ao importante papel das merendeiras na promoção da saúde nas escolas.

Acinetobacter baumannii is a microorganism of major global clinical importance, whose carbapenem-resistant phenotype is considered a priority target for the development of new antimicrobial agents. Carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii is associated with healthcare-associated infections and exhibits high mortality rates, prolonged hospital stays, and extensive use of intensive care units. As a control strategy, green-synthesized silver nanoparticles have gained increasing attention. Based on this, the aim of this study was to synthesize a novel triphasic silver nanocomposite, characterize it, and evaluate its antibacterial activity against extensively drug-resistant and pan-drug-resistant isolates. The nanocomposite was synthesized using cell-free bacterial supernatant and was physicochemically characterized regarding concentration, size, morphology, and crystallinity. Its antibacterial activity was assessed using broth microdilution and time–kill assays, followed by toxicity assays using human erythrocytes. A nanoscale and stable nanocomposite was obtained and was composed of metallic silver, silver chloride, and silver phosphate, which exhibited antibacterial activity against all tested isolates. In the toxicity assay, the nanocomposite demonstrated low toxicity and a high selectivity index. These findings demonstrate that Ag/AgCl/Ag₃PO₄ nanocomposite exhibits strong activity against resistant phenotypes for which therapeutic options are limited, highlighting its potential as a control strategy against this pathogen.