title: Efficacy of silver-releasing rubber for the prevention of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation in water.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of Elastoguard silver-releasing rubber in preventing Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation in water. Biofilm formation by P. aeruginosa under various conditions in an in vitro model system was compared for silver-releasing and conventional rubber. Under most conditions tested, the numbers of sessile cells attached to silver-releasing rubber were considerably lower with reference to conventional rubber, although the effect diminished with increasing volumes. The release of silver also resulted in a decrease in planktonic cells. By exposing both materials simultaneously to conditions for biofilm growth, it became obvious that the antibiofilm effect was due to a reduction in the number of planktonic cells, rather than to contact-dependent killing of sessile cells. The data demonstrate that the use of silver-releasing rubber reduces P. aeruginosa biofilm in water and reduces the number of planktonic cells present in the surrounding solution.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorium voor Farmaceutische Microbiologie, Universiteit Gent, Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Kristof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: De Prijck
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nelis
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Coenye
mesh_terms: D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D012408:Rubber / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012834:Silver / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D012834:Silver; D012408:Rubber