Enhanced antibacterial activity of capped zinc oxide nanoparticles: A step towards the control of clinical bovine mastitis

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Bovine mastitis is the costliest prevalent disease in the dairy sector due to the limitations of conventional treatments. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) have been regarded as safe and economical antibacterial candidates against several microorganisms, but the tendency of these particles to aggregate is a major barrier to their application. This study aimed to enhance the antibacterial efficiency of ZnO-NPs against some bacterial agents, causing bovine mastitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 24 milk samples out of 300 cases from Nubaria farm, Beheira Governorate, Egypt, were collected from cows with clinical mastitis. ZnO-NPs were fabricated by a sonochemical method using starch as a capping agent and by an auto-combustion reaction using glycine as a fuel. The two preparations of synthesized ZnO-NPs at different concentrations were assessed for their antimicrobial activities in vitro against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from milk of affected cows. RESULTS: Sonochemically synthesized capped ZnO-NPs were dispersed and non-agglomerated in comparison with aggregated uncapped ZnO-NPs prepared by an auto-combustion reaction. Capped dispersed ZnO-NPs showed higher antibacterial activity against S. aureus, E. coli, and K. pneumoniae than particles synthesized by the auto-combustion reaction at same concentrations. However, the zone of inhibition for dispersed and agglomerated ZnO-NPs was concentration-dependent. In addition, Gram-positive S. aureus exhibited higher resistance to ZnO-NPs synthesized by both methods than Gram-negative E. coli and K. pneumoniae. CONCLUSION: Dispersed, non-agglomerated ZnO-NPs fabricated using starch as a capping agent under sonochemical irradiation could potentially be regarded as highly effective and inexpensive antimicrobial agents against S. aureus, E. coli, and K. pneumoniae for the management of bovine mastitis.