Overcoming microbial resuscitation using stable ultrafine gold nanosystems

Abstract

While ultrafine gold nanosystems (UGNs) are being extensively studied for their antimicrobial activities, hitherto, no report is available on their propensity towards mitigating bacterial resuscitation—a potential factor contributing to the antimicrobial resistance. The investigations herein with two categories of gold nanosystems—modulated for their stability and surface accessibility through glutathione capping—have provided insights into overcoming resuscitation. Additionally, the study cautions that even moderate resistance development in bacteria exposed to nanosystems can result in significant cross-resistance against conventional antibiotics.