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Influence of mucin on the activity of the antiseptic Lavasept against Staphylococcus aureus

Rainer A M Ansorg1, Tareq Azem, Werner H Fabry

  • 1Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Essen, Essen, Germany. rainer.ansorg@uni-essen.de

Chemotherapy
|July 26, 2002
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

The antiseptic Lavasept (polyhexanide) lost effectiveness against Staphylococcus aureus when tested with mucin. This inactivation by mucin may hinder the clearance of nasal S. aureus carriage.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Antimicrobial Agents

Background:

  • Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization is a clinical concern.
  • Lavasept, a polyhexanide-based antiseptic, is a potential agent for nasal decolonization.
  • The interaction of Lavasept with nasal mucus components requires investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the antimicrobial activity of Lavasept against Staphylococcus aureus in the presence of mucin.
  • To determine if mucin affects the efficacy of Lavasept for potential nasal decolonization.

Main Methods:

  • Disk diffusion tests were performed on Mueller-Hinton agar.
  • Lavasept at therapeutic and 10x concentrations was tested with and without porcine mucin.
  • Multiple strains of S. aureus, along with other bacteria and fungi, were included.

Main Results:

  • 1% mucin completely inhibited the activity of therapeutically relevant concentrations of Lavasept.
  • Mucin demonstrated a consistent neutralizing effect across all tested S. aureus strains.
  • The presence of mucin significantly reduced the antimicrobial efficacy of Lavasept.

Conclusions:

  • Mucin inactivates Lavasept, compromising its effectiveness against Staphylococcus aureus.
  • This inactivation may impede the successful clearance of S. aureus nasal carriage using Lavasept.
  • Further research is needed to understand and overcome mucin's inhibitory effect on polyhexanide antiseptics.

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