Antimicrobial activity of gallium maltolate against Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius: An in vitro study

Gallium is a trivalent semi-metallic element that has shown antimicrobial activity against several important human pathogens. This antimicrobial activity is likely related to its substitution in important iron-dependent pathways of bacteria. The genus Staphylococcus, which includes human and animal pathogens that cause significant morbidity and mortality, requires iron for growth and colonization. In this study, gallium maltolate, at various concentrations between 50 and 200μM, inhibited the in vitro growth of Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) at time-points between 8 and 36h after inoculation. The inhibitory activity of gallium maltolate against clinical isolates of MRSA and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) from a veterinary teaching hospital was determined.