@article{mbs:/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-40-1-43, author = "Ramirez de Arellano, E. and Pascual, A. and Martinez-Martinez, L. and Perea, E. J.", title = "Activity of eight antibacterial agents on Staphylococcus epidermidis attached to Teflon catheters", journal= "Journal of Medical Microbiology", year = "1994", volume = "40", number = "1", pages = "43-47", doi = "https://doi.org/10.1099/00222615-40-1-43", url = "https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-40-1-43", publisher = "Microbiology Society", issn = "1473-5644", type = "Journal Article", abstract = "Summary The presence of a Teflon catheter had no effect on the in-vitro activity of a range of antibacterial agents against slime producing and non-producing Staphylococcus epidermidis strains as determined by a microdilution assay. The susceptibility of S. epidermidis attached to Teflon catheters for 6,24 and 48 h was also evaluated. MICs for planktonic and attached bacteria were similar. When bacteria attached to Teflon for 6 h were used as inocula, MBC values increased 32–8192-fold for the antibacterial agents tested. Similar results were observed when bacteria attached for 24 and 48 h were used as inocula. The activity of a high concentration (16 × MBC) of these antimicrobial agents against S. epidermidis biofilms in Teflon catheters was evaluated ; for five slime non-producing strains, the highest reduction (around 99 %) in bacterial viability was produced by cloxacillin and teicoplanin; for the slime producers, the highest effect (99·5 % reduction) was shown by amikacin, clindamycin cloxacillin and ciprofloxacin but all cases still showed bacterial counts higher than 103 cfu/catheter segment. It is concluded that adherence of S. epidermidis to Teflon catheters decreases the bactericidal activity of the antibacterial agents tested in vitro.", }