Removal of Staphylococcus aureus from skin using a combination antibiofilm approach

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), is a major cause of surgical site infections (SSIs).
• S. aureus skin contamination is a primary source for SSIs, making skin preparation crucial for prevention.
• Current skin preparation methods may not effectively eradicate bacteria from skin crevices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a combination probiotic/brush sonication strategy for skin preparation.
• To assess the efficacy of this strategy in reducing bacterial load and biofilms on skin surfaces.
• To compare the new strategy against conventional methods like ethanol wipes.

Main Methods:

• Development of a combined probiotic supernatant and brush sonication technique.
• Evaluation using a 24-hour Staphylococcus aureus biofilm model on porcine skin explants.
• Comparison with conventional ethanol wipes and individual probiotic or sonication treatments.

Main Results:

• Conventional ethanol wipes achieved a 0.8-2 log reduction in viable bacteria.
• Brush sonication or probiotic pre-treatment alone showed similar reductions (0.7-1.4 log).
• The combination strategy achieved a significant 4 log reduction in viable bacteria, with 2-hour incubation.

Conclusions:

• The combination probiotic/brush sonication strategy is highly effective in reducing S. aureus.
• This method shows superior efficacy compared to conventional skin preparation techniques.
• The strategy holds promise for improved prevention of SSIs by targeting skin biofilms.