Preliminary studies on the amoebicidal efficacy of contact lens disinfection systems.
OBJECTIVE
This preliminary study evaluated the efficacy of contact lens disinfection systems against Acanthamoeba castellanii, tested with and without co-incubation with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.


METHODS
First, disinfection systems containing 3% hydrogen peroxide, 0.00005% polyaminopropyl biguanide or 0.001% polyquaternium were challenged with A. castellanii for 72 h. Surviving cells were enumerated. Second, A. castellanii were co-incubated with P. aeruginosa for 48 h, then exposed to the disinfectants for 6 h.


RESULTS
There was zero survival of A. castellanii in hydrogen peroxide and variable survival in multipurpose systems. Following co-incubation, A. castellanii survival increased significantly (P = 0.015).


CONCLUSIONS
Multipurpose systems have variable anti-amoeba activity and storage cases contaminated by bacteria may enhance amoeba survival.
School of Optometry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. f.stapleton@cclru.unsw.edu.au
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Stapleton
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Harmis
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Deshpande
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Tran
D000048:Acanthamoeba / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D000818:Animals; D001645:Biguanides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018639:Contact Lens Solutions / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000502:physiology
D001645:Biguanides; D018639:Contact Lens Solutions; C064420:polyaminopropylbiguanide; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide