Abstract

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 Staphylococcus 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.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.