Enhanced attachment of acanthamoeba to extended-wear silicone hydrogel contact lenses: a new risk factor for infection?
OBJECTIVE
To establish if silicone hydrogel (S-H) contact lenses could be a risk factor for Acanthamoeba infection by facilitating the attachment of trophozoites to their surface and transfer to the cornea and to determine the effect Acanthamoeba culture technique, patient wear, and Pseudomonas biofilm coating have on attachment to the S-H lens.


METHODS
Experimental material study.


METHODS
Attachment to a S-H lens was compared with that of a conventional hydrogel control lens. Sixteen replicates were carried out for both lens types under each test condition.


METHODS
Unworn S-H (PureVision; Bausch & Lomb, Kingston-Upon-Thames UK) and conventional hydrogel (Acuvue; Vistakon, Johnson & Johnson, Jacksonville, FL USA) lens quarters were incubated for 90 minutes in suspensions of liquid or plate-cultured Acanthamoeba castellanii trophozoites. Unworn, worn, and Pseudomonas biofilm coated S-H and hydrogel quarters were incubated for 90 minutes with plate-cultured trophozoites.


METHODS
Trophozoites attached to one surface of each lens quarter were counted by direct light microscopy. Logarithmic transformation of data allowed the use of a parametric analysis of variance.


RESULTS
Lens polymer had a significant effect on attachment (P < 0.001), with higher numbers of trophozoites attaching to the S-H lens. Culture technique also had a significant effect on attachment (P = 0.013), with higher numbers of liquid-cultured organisms attaching to both lens types. A significant increase in attachment was demonstrated with worn and Pseudomonas biofilm-coated hydrogel lenses (P < 0.001); however, this difference was not seen with the S-H lens.


CONCLUSIONS
Acanthamoebal attachment to the S-H lenses was significantly greater than to the conventional hydrogel. Liquid-cultured trophozoites demonstrated a higher affinity for the lenses tested. Wear and bacterial biofilm coating had no effect on attachment to S-H lenses. The increased attachment found with the S-H lens may be an inherent characteristic of the polymer or a side effect of the surface treatment procedure to which the lenses are exposed. It is possible that S-H lenses are at greater risk of promoting Acanthamoeba infection if exposed to the organism because of the enhanced attachment characteristic of this new material.
Beattie
Tara K
TK
Department of Vision Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, Scotland, UK. t.k.beattie@gcal.ac.uk
Tomlinson
Alan
A
McFadyen
Angus K
AK
Seal
David V
DV
Grimason
Anthony M
AM
D000048:Acanthamoeba / Q000502:physiology*; D000268:Adhesiveness; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development; D003262:Contact Lenses, Extended-Wear / Q000469:parasitology*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000502:physiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012826:Silicone Elastomers
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D012826:Silicone Elastomers