Antifungal activity of antimicrobial-impregnated devices

Area of Science:

• Medical Microbiology
• Biomaterials Science
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Catheter-associated infections are a significant clinical challenge.
• Candida albicans and Candida krusei are common opportunistic fungal pathogens.
• Antimicrobial-impregnated medical devices offer a potential strategy for infection prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of medical devices impregnated with chlorhexidine and chloroxylenol against Candida albicans and Candida krusei.

Main Methods:

• In vitro assessment using zone of inhibition assays against Candida species.
• In vivo evaluation in a rabbit model using percutaneously placed silicone catheter segments.
• Quantification of Candida colonization and colony counts on impregnated versus non-impregnated devices.

Main Results:

• Impregnated devices demonstrated large zones of inhibition against both Candida albicans (39 mm) and Candida krusei (38 mm).
• In the rabbit model, non-impregnated devices were twice as likely to be colonized by Candida species.
• Significantly lower colony counts of C. albicans (58 vs. 1361 CFU) and C. krusei (19 vs. 764 CFU) were observed on impregnated devices (p < 0.008).

Conclusions:

• Chlorhexidine and chloroxylenol impregnation effectively inhibits Candida growth in vitro.
• Antimicrobial-impregnated silicone catheters significantly reduce Candida colonization and infection burden in a relevant in vivo model.
• These findings support the use of antimicrobial-impregnated devices for preventing Candida colonization of medical devices.