Natural Cyanobacterial Polymer-Based Coating as a Preventive Strategy to Avoid Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections

• Published in: Marine drugs Vol. 18; no. 6; p. 279
• Main Authors: Costa, Bruna, Mota, Rita, Tamagnini, Paula, Martins, M Cristina L, Costa, Fabíola
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI 26.05.2020; MDPI AG
• Subjects: anti-adhesive coating; Biofilms - drug effects; catheter-associated urinary tract infections; Cyanobacteria; Humans; Polymers - administration & dosage; Polymers - pharmacology; surface modification; urinary catheters; Urinary Catheters - adverse effects; Urinary Tract Infections - prevention & control; uropathogens; urinary catheters; catheter-associated urinary tract infections; uropathogens; anti-adhesive coating; surface modification; cyanobacteria
• ISSN: 1660-3397; 1660-3397
• DOI: 10.3390/md18060279

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) represent about 40% of all healthcare-associated infections. Herein, the authors report the further development of an infection preventive anti-adhesive coating (CyanoCoating) meant for urinary catheters, and based on a natural polymer released by a marine cyanobacterium. CyanoCoating performance was assessed against relevant CAUTI etiological agents, namely Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and Candida albicans in the presence of culture medium or artificial urine, and under biofilm promoting settings. CyanoCoating displayed a broad anti-adhesive efficiency against all the uropathogens tested (68-95%), even in the presence of artificial urine (58-100%) with exception of P. mirabilis in the latter condition. Under biofilm-promoting settings, CyanoCoating reduced biofilm formation by E. coli, P. mirabilis, and C. albicans (30-60%). In addition, CyanoCoating prevented large crystals encrustation, and its sterilization with ethylene oxide did not impact the coating stability. Therefore, CyanoCoating constitutes a step forward for the implementation of antibiotic-free alternative strategies to fight CAUTIs.