Today, bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics. Additionally, the formation of biofilms on medically implanted devices, such as catheters and vascular patches, almost certainly calls for treatment through use of antibiotics or other means. Considering biofilms are already very difficult to fully remove, a non-antibiotic solution is needed to ensure biofilms will not be formed in the first place. Covalent attachment of bacteriophages to polymer surfaces allows polymeric-based medical devices to maintain their bulk properties while preventing biofilm formation of selective pathogenic bacteria strains, thus not affecting the patient’s natural bacterial flora. Bacteriophages work by injecting their host bacteria with genetic material and using the host for replication resulting in the release of many progeny bacteriophages and an amplified antimicrobial effect. These studies utilize microwave generated plasma reactions in the presence of maleic anhydride to create carboxylic acid groups on medically relevant but inert polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (PE) surfaces. Φ11 bacteriophages are then covalently attached using carbodiimide coupling chemistry. The PTFE and PE surfaces exhibiting Φ11 bacteriophages display antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus human pathogen and prevent biofilm formation.

Biofilm prevention via covalently anchored bacteriophages on polymeric surfaces

2019 Spring National Meeting

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