Healthcare-associated infections related to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are a significant cause of medical and economic losses in healthcare environments. The design of safe, non-toxic antibacterial coatings that can be applied to operating rooms, walls, medical supplies, and similar surfaces in healthcare facilities can greatly contribute to the fight against healthcare-associated infections. Lysostaphin that lyses cells by cleaving the pentaglycine cross-bridges of staphylococcal cell walls is a remarkable antibacterial agent against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). In this work, nanocomposite coatings of lysostaphin and waterborne polyurethane (PU) presenting antibacterial and antibiofilm properties were demonstrated. Lysostaphin was covalently immobilized onto polydopamine-coated halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) to obtain stable HNT/Lysostaphin nanohybrids which were then utilized as fillers in PU nanocomposites. Resulting PU-HNT/Lysostaphin coatings presented strong antimicrobial activity against S. Aureus, resulting in 99% killing efficiency with high enzymatic stability. Furthermore, coatings suggested operational stability over multiple bacterial incubation cycles and long-term storage stability without any loss on enzymatic activity. Moreover, nanocomposite coatings containing the HNT/Lysostaphin nanohybrids reduced biofilm formation on surfaces by at least 70% relative to control polyurethane coatings. Nanocomposite coatings demonstrated here have a great potential for the prevention of nosocomial infections caused by S. Aureus.

Antibacterial nanocomposite coatings based on lysostaphin and waterborne polyurethane

ACS Fall 2020 Virtual Meeting

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