A novel bactericidal fabric coating with potent in vitro activity against meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Abstract 

We evaluated the antistaphylococcal activity of Cliniweave^® (CW), a commercially available textile treatment designed for use in healthcare environments. In tests on genetically diverse isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, including 49 meticillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), the median minimum inhibitory concentration of the liquid compound was found to be 1μg/L (range 0.5–2μg/L). Comparison of the antimicrobial activity of CW-treated polyester with three other commercially available silver-based antimicrobial fabrics showed that after exposure of cultures of ca. 10⁶ colony-forming units/mL of S. aureus, only CW-treated fabric showed any significant antibacterial activity, severely reducing bacterial numbers within 1h. Time–kill analysis of liquid CW in culture showed 2log and 3log reductions of S. aureus numbers within 30min and 240min, respectively, and 2log reductions were observed within 60min using treated fabric. CW-treated fabrics are strongly biocidal and may be useful in helping reduce the burden of nosocomial bacterial infection.

Keywords: MRSA, Antimicrobial textile, Biocide, Time–kill experiments