Compositions and methods for mitigating drug resistant bacteria

A broad-based remediation mechanism against MRFs and alternative fecal indicators such as multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa , including nanotechnology formulations and methodologies that may be used to develop novel mitigation strategies against certain drug resistant bacterial strains. The current invention relates to mitigation of drug resistant bacteria from nosocomial infections, for example in hospitals and in food animals, and to the identification and mitigation of lytic bacteria from algae biomass-fed wastewaters for algae cultivation. The invention uses hybrid nanomaterials comprising oligo-chitosan and zinc oxide formulated as nanoparticles and micelles. The inventors unexpectedly found unique properties of very small oligomers of chitosan that effectively mitigate MRF and alternative resistant strain-induced illnesses without compromising the balance of the beneficial flora in the physiological and ecological microenvironments. Also, the combination of chitosan with zinc oxide demonstrated synergistic and unexpected effects in remediation of important food-borne bacteria including the resistant types.