Activity of HOCl-generating e-bandage with clinically available hydrogels against Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii biofilms.

UNLABELLED: Biofilms hinder wound infection healing, making wound infections a healthcare challenge for which innovative treatments are needed. A 1.77 cm2 electrochemical bandage (e-bandage), which generates the biocide hypochlorous acid (HOCl), has shown promising anti-biofilm activity in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo. The e-bandage is a three-electrode system operationalized by a hydrogel. In addition to providing a conductive electrolyte for the electrodes, the hydrogel provides a protective barrier for the wound. How different hydrogels impact e-bandage functionality is not completely defined. Here, the in vitro activity of seven clinically available hydrogels (xanthan gum, 3M, Duoderm, Prontosan, Purilon, Skintegrity, and Solosite) was evaluated with 1.77 cm2 HOCl-generating e-bandages using a potentiostat with a multiplexer in a membrane biofilm model against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus IDRL-6169 and Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC-17978. When applied with polarized HOCl-producing e-bandages, all evaluated hydrogels except Solosite yielded ≥5.5 log10CFU/cm2 reductions in bacterial quantities after 6 h of treatment, with most being below the detection limit at that time point. Prontosan exhibited antibacterial activity independent of e-bandage. Results of this study inform the selection of clinically available hydrogels that may be suitable for use with a 1.77 cm2 HOCl-producing e-bandage.

IMPORTANCE: In this study, it was shown that some clinically available hydrogels, combined with a 1.77 cm2 HOCl-generating electrochemical bandage, deliver time-dependent antimicrobial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii biofilms, offering a potential approach to treat wound infections, including those caused by antimicrobial-resistant bacteria.