Antimicrobial effect of silver nanoparticles synthesized by Paecilomyces variotii

Abstract

Currently, the resistance of bacterial strains to antibiotics is a public health concern, causing economic losses, mortality and morbidity. This has generated the need to develop effective methods and products to eliminate resistant microbial cultures, such as the silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), whose microbicide effect has been well documented in both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. In this study, we synthesize spherical AgNPs of 10 nm diameter using the extracellular filtrate of the fungus Paecilomyces variotii, also the cytotoxic capacity of the AgNPs was evaluated in pathogenic bacteria of importance in the health sector. Silver nanoparticles showed significant antimicrobial activities for Gram-negative (S. typhi, P. vulgaris, E. coli, P. aeruginosa) and Gram-positive (B. subtilis, B. megaterium, S. aureus, S, typhi) bacteria. The effect was greater as the concentration increased.