title: Enhancement of vancomycin activity against biofilms by using ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction.
abstract: Treating biofilm infections on implanted medical devices is formidable, even with extensive antibiotic therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate whether ultrasound (US)-targeted microbubble (MB) destruction (UTMD) could enhance vancomycin activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis RP62A biofilms. Twelve-hour biofilms were treated with vancomycin combined with UTMD. The vancomycin and MB (SonoVue) were used at concentrations of 100 μg/ml and 30% (vol/vol), respectively, in studies in vitro. After US exposure (0.08 MHz, 1.0 W/cm(2), 50% duty cycle, and 10-min duration), the biofilms were cultured at 37 °C for another 12 h. The results showed that many micropores were found in biofilms treated with vancomycin combined with UTMD. Biofilm densities (A(570) values) and the viable counts of S. epidermidis recovered from the biofilm were significantly decreased compared with those of any other groups. Furthermore, the highest percentage of dead cells was found, using confocal laser scanning microscopy, in the biofilm treated with vancomycin combined with UTMD. The viable counts of bacteria in biofilms in an in vivo rabbit model also confirmed the enhanced effect of vancomycin combined with UTMD. UTMD may have great potential for improving antibiotic activity against biofilm infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Nianan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Huayong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Beijian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xueqin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wenping
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Di
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Qu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000187:drug effects*; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D014640:Vancomycin