title: The effects of electric current on bacteria colonising intravenous catheters.
abstract: The effect of a direct electric current (10 microA) on the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis was investigated. When the ends of negatively-charged intravascular catheters were placed in nutrient agar seeded with bacteria, circular zones of inhibition of bacterial growth were observed around the catheters. The zones ranged from 6 to 16 mm in diameter according to the organism under test. Zones of inhibition were not produced around positively-charged catheters. Bacteria colonising the surfaces of catheters were similarly affected by the application of a 10 microA electric current. A negative electric current applied to colonised catheters for 4 to 24 h significantly reduced the number of adherent viable organisms as compared to controls. The results demonstrated that a constant electric current of low amperage might be used to reduce bacterial colonisation of intravascular catheters. This may offer a novel means of protecting catheters and other prosthetic devices from associated sepsis in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Edgbaston, Birmingham, U.K.
authors.forename: W K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Tebbs
authors.forename: P O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Byrne
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Elliott
mesh_terms: D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004560:Electricity; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D011513:Proteus mirabilis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology