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Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

CSA, cationic steroid antibiotics, minimum inhibitory concentration, MIC, endotracheal, ET

College

Life Sciences

Department

Microbiology and Molecular Biology

Abstract

Cationic Steroid Antibiotics (CSAs) are potent innovative antimicrobial agents. In particular, CSA-13 has a very low minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa at 2 µg/mL. When dissolved in a solvent and combined with a commercial polymer, CSA-13 can be used to coat endotracheal (ET) tubes. Biofilm formation on ET tubes can cause ventilator assisted pneumonia and is potentially fatal. CSA-13-coated ET tubes are extremely effective in preventing biofilm formation. Testing in standard Mueller-Hinton broth, we have been able to prevent P. aeruginosa growth on tubes for up to 28 days. This is compared to silver-coated endotracheal tubes (which are currently on the market) that prevent biofilm for 1 day, and non-coated tubes that prevent no biofilm. In all our tube assays we inoculate with 107 bacteria every day.

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Microbiology Commons

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