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

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 1 microg/L (range 0.5-2 microg/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. 10(6) 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 2 log and 3 log reductions of S. aureus numbers within 30 min and 240 min, respectively, and 2 log reductions were observed within 60 min using treated fabric. CW-treated fabrics are strongly biocidal and may be useful in helping reduce the burden of nosocomial bacterial infection.