Salicylic acid prevents the adherence of bacteria and yeast to silastic catheters.

During the pathogenesis of catheter-related urinary tract infection, bacteria attach to the catheter and migrate along a biofilm into the bladder. We studied the effect of coating silastic catheters with salicylic acid on bacterial and yeast adherence. An agar roll technique, bioluminescent assay, and radiolabeling study all produced consistent results. There was a dose related inhibition of adherence with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter aerogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Candida albicans, and Enterococcus faecalis. Inhibition of over 90% was noted with Enterobacter and Pseudomonas. Similar results were obtained in broth and synthetic urine. A dose related reduction in adherence was seen with all gram-negative rods and yeast as measured by a radiolabeling assay. TDMAC was used to bind the salicylic acid to the catheters with > 95% inhibition of the gram-negative rods. These studies suggest the potential role of coating catheters with salicylic acid to reduce bacterial adherence and urinary tract infection.