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Antimicrobial Characterization of Advanced Materials for Bioengineering Applications
Published on: August 4, 2018
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The Activity of Antimicrobial Surfaces Varies by Testing Protocol Utilized.
Matias D Campos1, Paola C Zucchi1, Ann Phung1
1Department of Pharmacy and Health Systems Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Plos One
|August 6, 2016
Summary
Standardized testing protocols for antimicrobial surfaces yield inconsistent results, hindering clinical adoption. Further development of representative methods is crucial for reliable efficacy assessment.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Materials Science
- Infection Control
Background:
- Contaminated hospital surfaces contribute to nosocomial infections.
- Lack of standardized efficacy data impedes antimicrobial surface market entry.
Purpose of the Study:
- Compare efficacy of multiple testing protocols for antimicrobial film surfaces.
- Evaluate standardized vs. novel methods for antimicrobial surface assessment.
Main Methods:
- Tested four clinical isolates (E. coli, K. pneumoniae, S. aureus) against commercial and developmental antimicrobial films.
- Utilized modified ISO 22196, ASTM E2149, dried droplet, and transfer methods.
- Enumerated bacterial recovery at 2 and 24 hours post-inoculation.
Main Results:
- Silver control showed significant microbicidal activity across most methods.
- Commercial antimicrobial films showed no significant difference from untreated controls in most tests.
- Developmental film exhibited variable efficacy depending on method, organism, and time.
- ISO and ASTM methods showed some efficacy, but results varied by organism and time.
Conclusions:
- Inconsistent results highlight challenges in reproducible antimicrobial surface efficacy comparison.
- Current standardized protocols may not accurately reflect real-world performance.
- Development of clinically relevant testing methods is essential.
