New antimicrobial contact catalyst killing antibiotic resistant clinical and waterborne pathogens.
Microbial growth on medical and technical devices is a big health issue, particularly when microorganisms aggregate to form biofilms. Moreover, the occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the clinical environment is dramatically growing, making treatment of bacterial infections very challenging. In search of an alternative, we studied a novel antimicrobial surface coating based on micro galvanic elements formed by silver and ruthenium with surface catalytic properties. The antimicrobial coating efficiently inhibited the growth of the nosocomial pathogens Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium as demonstrated by the growth inhibition on agar surface and in biofilms of antibiotic resistant clinical E. faecalis, E. faecium, and S. aureus isolates. It also strongly reduced the growth of Legionella in a drinking water pipeline and of Escherichia coli in urine. We postulate a mode of action of the antimicrobial material, which is independent of the release of silver ions. Thus, the novel antimicrobial coating could represent an alternative to combat microbial growth avoiding the toxic side effects of high levels of silver ions on eukaryotic cells.
Biophysics Unit (CSIC, UPV/EHU), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain.
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Guridi
University Medical Center Freiburg, Division of Infectious Diseases, Hugstetter Strasse 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany; Biology II, Microbiology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
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Diederich
Biophysics Unit (CSIC, UPV/EHU), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain.
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Aguila-Arcos
Biophysics Unit (CSIC, UPV/EHU), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain.
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Garcia-Moreno
University Medical Center Freiburg, Division of Infectious Diseases, Hugstetter Strasse 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany; Biology II, Microbiology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
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Blasi
University Medical Center Freiburg, Division of Infectious Diseases, Hugstetter Strasse 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany; Biology II, Microbiology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
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Broszat
Biology II, Microbiology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
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Schmieder
Biology II, Microbiology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
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Clauss-Lendzian
University Medical Center Freiburg, Division of Infectious Diseases, Hugstetter Strasse 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany.
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Sakinc-Gueler
Advanced Research Facilities (SGIker), University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain.
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Andrade
Biophysics Unit (CSIC, UPV/EHU), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain.
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Alkorta
Largentec GmbH, Am Waldhaus 32, 14129 Berlin, Germany.
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Meyer
Largentec GmbH, Am Waldhaus 32, 14129 Berlin, Germany.
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Landau
Biophysics Unit (CSIC, UPV/EHU), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain; University Medical Center Freiburg, Division of Infectious Diseases, Hugstetter Strasse 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany; Biology II, Microbiology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany. Electronic address: elisabeth.grohmann@googlemail.com.
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Grohmann
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D061249:Batch Cell Culture Techniques; D002384:Catalysis / Q000187:drug effects; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004203:Disinfection; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D050296:Microbial Viability / Q000187:drug effects*; D012834:Silver / Q000494:pharmacology; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014881:Water Supply; D000069578:Waterborne Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D012834:Silver
Antimicrobials; Disinfection; Drinking water; Legionella; Mechanism of action; Staphylococcus