Skip Navigation


JAC Advance Access originally published online on March 31, 2004
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
53/5/778    most recent
dkh183v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (22)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Bayston, R.
Right arrow Articles by Bhundia, C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Bayston, R.
Right arrow Articles by Bhundia, C.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?


Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (2004) 53, 778-782
© 2004 The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy

Mode of action of an antimicrobial biomaterial for use in hydrocephalus shunts

Roger Bayston*, Waheed Ashraf and Catherine Bhundia

Biomaterials-Related Infection Group, Division of Orthopaedic and Accident Surgery, C Floor West Block, University Hospital, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK

Received 15 August 2003; returned 12 November 2003; revised 12 January 2004; accepted 13 February 2004

Objectives: Infection remains a major complication of shunting for hydrocephalus. The causative bacteria, mainly staphylococci, gain access to the shunt at operation and colonize the shunt tubing. This leads to biofilm development requiring shunt removal. As there is no clear evidence to support antibiotic prophylaxis, we have developed an impregnated antimicrobial shunt material. This study aimed to elucidate its mode of action in terms of bacterial adherence and killing kinetics.

Methods: Plain and impregnated material, with and without plasma protein conditioning film, were exposed to Staphylococcus epidermidis. Bacterial adherence was determined by scanning electron microscopy, chemiluminescence and culture. Time taken to kill 100% of bacteria (tK100) was determined by serial chemiluminescence, culture and the use of differential viability microscopy.

Results: The antimicrobial material did not reduce bacterial adherence. However, 100% of attached bacteria were killed in 48–52 h, even in the presence of a conditioning film.

Conclusions: Impregnated antimicrobial material is likely to reduce shunt infection rates significantly without the risks and side effects of systemic antibiotics.

Keywords: hydrocephalus shunt infections, prevention, catheters

* Corresponding author. E-mail: roger.bayston{at}nottingham.ac.uk


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J R Soc InterfaceHome page
Y. Zhong and R. V Bellamkonda
Biomaterials for the central nervous system
J R Soc Interface, September 6, 2008; 5(26): 957 - 975.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Antimicrob ChemotherHome page
R. Bayston, W. Ashraf, and T. Smith
Triclosan resistance in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus expressed as small colony variants: a novel mode of evasion of susceptibility to antiseptics
J. Antimicrob. Chemother., May 1, 2007; 59(5): 848 - 853.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Antimicrob ChemotherHome page
F. Furno, K. S. Morley, B. Wong, B. L. Sharp, P. L. Arnold, S. M. Howdle, R. Bayston, P. D. Brown, P. D. Winship, and H. J. Reid
Silver nanoparticles and polymeric medical devices: a new approach to prevention of infection?
J. Antimicrob. Chemother., December 1, 2004; 54(6): 1019 - 1024.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.