Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate a commercial antimicrobial formulation, Byotrol™ G32, as a potential coating for impeding biofilm formation on medical devices such as urinary catheters.
Methods and results: The antimicrobial activity of Byotrol™ G32 and its individual constituents has been tested on planktonic and biofilm cultures of uropathogenic bacteria. The Byotrol™ G32 formulation was superior with MICs ranging from 3 μg ml(-1) to 15 μg ml(-1) for planktonic cultures and 3-20 μg ml(-1) for biofilms. Furthermore, Byotrol™ G32 was able to remove established biofilms and act as an antibiofilm surface coating.
Conclusions: Byotrol™ G32 displays impressive antimicrobial activity both in suspension and as a coating. Pretreating medical devices with Byotrol™ G32 may significantly impede biofilm formation and prolong the lifetime of the device.
Significance and impact of the study: Medical devices are indispensable in health care. They are, however, a predisposing factor in infection. This research has demonstrated that Byotrol™ G32 reduces bacterial growth and subsequent biofilm formation. Application of Byotrol™ G32 as a medical device coating could have a significant impact on the costs associated with device replacement and patient morbidity and mortality.
© 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.