Investigations into methods to improve the antibacterial activity of Acticoat.

Investigations into methods to improve the antibacterial activity of Acticoat. J Med Microbiol. 2016 Mar 3; Authors: Ravensdale J, Wood F, O'Brien F, Gregg K Abstract Multiple studies have shown that the antibacterial gauze Acticoat can inhibit growth of bacteria but is unable to completely clear a wound of infection, which could leave patients vulnerable to sepsis. Agar inoculated with four different Staphylococcus aureus strains and overlain with Acticoat showed growth inhibition beneath and within a 1 mm perimeter of the gauze after 24 h. When lifted from inoculated agar and briefly blotted onto fresh agar plates, Acticoat transferred viable bacteria. Scanning electron microscopy of the surface of Acticoat that overlayed MRSA for 24, 48 and 72 h showed dense clusters of apparently undamaged bacteria distributed across the mesh. The number of bacteria growing on inoculated pig skin, underneath and on the surface of Acticoat, was lower than on controls for the first 8 h, but after 24 h the number of bacteria on the skin was 2.3-fold greater than the untreated controls. In contrast, after 24 h the number of bacteria surviving on the surface of the Acticoat was 11.9% of controls. Acticoat moistened with 10% glycerol plus 50 μg ml-1 of antimicrobial peptides mel12-26 or bac8c, reduced the number of bacteria on the gauze and on the skin underneath to below 10% and 0.01% of the controls respectively. When lysozyme (1 mg ml-1) was added ...
Source: Journal of Medical Microbiology - Category: Microbiology Authors: Tags: J Med Microbiol Source Type: research