A novel cysteine-linked antibacterial surface coating significantly inhibits bacterial colonization of nasal silicone prongs in a phase one pre-clinical trial.

Odeberg J, Wirsén A, Norberg Å, Frie J, Printz G, Lagercrantz H, Gudmundsson GH, Agerberth B, Jonsson B

Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl 93 (-) 782-789 [2018-12-01; online 2018-08-23]

Ventilator associated pneumonia and sepsis are frequent complications in neonatal care. Bacterial colonization of medical devices and interfaces used for respiratory support may contribute by functioning as a bacterial reservoir seeding bacteria into airways. We have developed an antibacterial surface coating based on a cysteine ligand covalently coupled via a spacer to a carboxylic backbone layer on an acrylic acid grafted silicone surface. This coating was applied on a commercially available nasal prong and the antibacterial effect was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo in a first-in-human phase 1 trial. The coated nasal prongs had strong antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria in vitro. In a randomized pre-clinical trial study of 24 + 24 healthy adult volunteers who carried coated or non-coated nasal prongs for 18 h, a 10log difference in mean bacterial colonization of 5.82 (p < 0.0001) was observed. These results show that this coating technique can prevent colonization by the normal skin and mucosal flora, and thus represent a promising novel technology for reduction of medical device-associated hospital acquired infections.

PubMed 30274112

DOI 10.1016/j.msec.2018.08.040

Crossref 10.1016/j.msec.2018.08.040

pii: S0928-4931(17)34078-X