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In Vitro Assessment of Electric Currents Increasing the Effectiveness of Vancomycin Against S taphylococcus epidermidis Biofilms
Author(s) -
Haddad Peter A.,
Mah ThienFah,
Mussivand Tofy
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
artificial organs
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.684
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1525-1594
pISSN - 0160-564X
DOI - 10.1111/aor.12678
Subject(s) - staphylococcus epidermidis , biofilm , vancomycin , antibiotics , microbiology and biotechnology , antimicrobial , bacteria , electric current , staphylococcus aureus , chemistry , medicine , biology , physics , quantum mechanics , genetics
Biofilms are communities of bacteria that can cause infections which are resistant to the immune system and antimicrobial treatments, posing a significant threat for patients with implantable and indwelling medical devices. The purpose of our research was to determine if utilizing specific parameters for electric currents in conjunction with antibiotics could effectively treat a highly resistant biofilm. Our study evaluated the impact of 16 μg/mL of vancomycin with or without 22 or 333 μA of direct electric current ( DC ) generated by stainless steel electrodes against 24‐, 48‐, and 72‐h‐old S taphylococcus epidermidis biofilms formed on titanium coupons. An increase in effectiveness of vancomycin was observed with the combination of 333 μA of electric current against 48‐h‐old biofilms ( P value = 0.01) as well as in combination with 22 μA of electric current against 72‐h‐old biofilms ( P value = 0.04); 333 μA of electric current showed the most significant impact on the effectiveness of vancomycin against S . epidermidis biofilms demonstrating a bioelectric effect previously not observed against this strain of bacteria.