methylcellulose and Pseudomonas-Infections

The use of catheters and other implanted devices is constantly increasing in modern medicine. Although catheters improve patients' healthcare, the hydrophobic nature of their surface material promotes protein adsorption and cell adhesion. Catheters are therefore prone to complications, such as colonization by bacterial and fungal biofilms, associated infections, and thrombosis. Here we describe the in vivo efficacy of biologically inspired glycocalyxlike antiadhesive coatings to inhibit Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization on commercial totally implantable venous access ports (TIVAPs) in a clinically relevant rat model of biofilm infection. Although noncoated TIVAPs implanted in rats were heavily colonized by the 2 biofilm-forming pathogens with a high percentage of occlusion, coating TIVAPs reduced their initial adherence and subsequently led to 4-log reduction in biofilm formation and reduced occlusion. Our antiadhesive approach is a simple and generalizable strategy that could be used to minimize clinical complications associated with the use of implantable medical devices.

Topics: Animals; Bacterial Adhesion; Biofilms; Biomimetic Materials; Catheter-Related Infections; Central Venous Catheters; Glycocalyx; Male; Methylcellulose; Pseudomonas Infections; Rats; Staphylococcal Infections

"Nubiotics" are a novel class of proprietary protonated nucleic acid-based drugs shown to have potent in vitro antibacterial activities against a number of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. These nubiotics are evaluated here for their in vivo therapeutic efficacy for the treatment of burn wound infection caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. To achieve this, a burn wound infection model was established in mice by using a highly pathogenic burn wound clinical isolate of P. aeruginosa. Lethal doses of the bacteria were determined for two routes of infection (subcutaneous and topical), representing systemic and local forms of infection, respectively. Using this infection model, treatment with nubiotics by various routes of drug administration was evaluated and optimized. A total of 12 nubiotics and their analogues were tested and of these, Nu-2, -3, -4, and -5 were found to be extremely efficacious in the postexposure treatment of burn wound infection (60 to 100% survival rates versus 0% for untreated control [P < 0.05]). These nubiotics were effective when given either systemically by intravenous and/or subcutaneous administration or given locally to the affected site in the skin by topical application. Treatment by these two routes resulted in almost 100% survival rates and complete eradication of the bacteria from infection sites in the livers, spleens, and blood. These nubiotics were found to be as effective as intravenously administered ciprofloxacin, a potent and broad-spectrum fluoroquinolone. These results suggest that nubiotics may be a promising and effective approach for the treatment of burn wound infection caused by P. aeruginosa.

Topics: Administration, Topical; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Anti-Infective Agents; Burns; Ciprofloxacin; Drug Compounding; Excipients; Female; Lactose; Liposomes; Methylcellulose; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Nucleotides; Oxazines; Pseudomonas Infections; Survival Analysis; Wound Infection