Separation and Analysis of Methicillin‐sensitive and Resistant <i>Staphylococcus</i> Strains Using Vancomycin‐modified Magnetic Nanoparticles

ABSTRACT Multi‐resistant bacterial strains pose a serious threat in the hospital environment. Management of nosocomial infections requires completely new approaches. Vancomycin (Vanco) is a known antibiotic for the treatment of serious infections, including those caused by methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains. Nanomedicine brings new possibilities, including targeting using surface modifications of nanoparticles (NPs). Superparamagnetic iron oxide NPs (SPIONs) are synthetic nanomaterials with unique magnetic properties that are widely used in nanomedicine. They are primarily used in diagnostic imaging, targeted drug delivery, and therapy. Minimal inhibition concentration was determined to be 150 µg/mL. For the purpose of this study, SPIONs were modified with chitosan and then purified on a magnet. After washing with buffer, the particles were modified with Vanco (100 µg/mL). The stability of modified NPs was verified by Vanco analysis using high‐performance liquid chromatography. Bacterial cultures were grown reproducibly in a pure medium. Subsequently, antibacterial activity was monitored by growth curves ( S. aureus ) that were measured at 450 nm/540 nm for 24 h, repeated in four cycles. The results were evaluated as the area under the growth curves. The study provides initial insights into the effects of newly synthesized NP variants on S. aureus .