Methods to Regulate Biofilm Development to Prevent Infection on Indwelling or Implantable Medical Devices

Formation of biofilms (microorganisms) on medical devices is a common cause of infection and device replacement. For example, biofilm formation on urinary catheters is associated with the development of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), and recent studies indicate that approximately 9% of HAIs stem from CAUTI. Urinary catheters are also thought to be one of the largest reservoirs of nosocomial antibiotic-resistant pathogens. The related increases in patient morbidity, mortality, and costs with CAUTI are substantial.

CDC and partner researchers have designed methods for controlled attachment of bioactive bacteriophages to medical devices for reducing bacterial colonization and regulating biofilm development. With collaborators at the Georgia Institute of Technology, CDC has developed and patented a novel approach to covalently attach bacteriophages to hydrogel-coated catheters. These tethered bacteriophages can reduce bacterial attachment and biofilm formation on the catheter surface. Additional formulations could be developed for a range of other indwelling or implanted medical devices such as stents, shunts, feeding tubes, and artificial joints and maximal impact on infections could be achieved using a diverse cocktail of relatively broad host-ranged phages.