TY - JOUR
T1 - Silver against Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms
AU - Bjarnsholt, Thomas
AU - Kirketerp-Møller, Klaus
AU - Kristiansen, Søren
AU - Phipps, Richard
AU - Nielsen, Anne Kirstine
AU - Jensen, Peter Østrup
AU - Høiby, Niels
AU - Givskov, Michael
N1 - Keywords: Biofilms; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Quorum Sensing; Silver; Silver Sulfadiazine
PY - 2007
Y1 - 2007
N2 - Silver has been recognized for its antimicrobial properties for centuries. Most studies on the antibacterial efficacy of silver, with particular emphasis on wound healing, have been performed on planktonic bacteria. Our recent studies, however, strongly suggest that colonization of wounds involves bacteria in both the planktonic and biofilm modes of growth. The action of silver on mature in vitro biofilms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a primary pathogen of chronic infected wounds, was investigated. The results show that silver is very effective against mature biofilms of P. aeruginosa, but that the silver concentration is important. A concentration of 5-10 mug/mL silver sulfadiazine eradicated the biofilm whereas a lower concentration (1 mug/mL) had no effect. The bactericidal concentration of silver required to eradicate the bacterial biofilm was 10-100 times higher than that used to eradicate planktonic bacteria. These observations strongly indicate that the concentration of silver in currently available wound dressings is much too low for treatment of chronic biofilm wounds. It is suggested that clinicians and manufacturers of the said wound dressings consider whether they are treating wounds primarily colonized either by biofilm-forming or planktonic bacteria.
AB - Silver has been recognized for its antimicrobial properties for centuries. Most studies on the antibacterial efficacy of silver, with particular emphasis on wound healing, have been performed on planktonic bacteria. Our recent studies, however, strongly suggest that colonization of wounds involves bacteria in both the planktonic and biofilm modes of growth. The action of silver on mature in vitro biofilms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a primary pathogen of chronic infected wounds, was investigated. The results show that silver is very effective against mature biofilms of P. aeruginosa, but that the silver concentration is important. A concentration of 5-10 mug/mL silver sulfadiazine eradicated the biofilm whereas a lower concentration (1 mug/mL) had no effect. The bactericidal concentration of silver required to eradicate the bacterial biofilm was 10-100 times higher than that used to eradicate planktonic bacteria. These observations strongly indicate that the concentration of silver in currently available wound dressings is much too low for treatment of chronic biofilm wounds. It is suggested that clinicians and manufacturers of the said wound dressings consider whether they are treating wounds primarily colonized either by biofilm-forming or planktonic bacteria.
U2 - 10.1111/j.1600-0463.2007.apm_646.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1600-0463.2007.apm_646.x
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 17696948
SN - 0903-4641
VL - 115
SP - 921
EP - 928
JO - Acta Pathologica Microbiologica et Immunologica Scandinavica
JF - Acta Pathologica Microbiologica et Immunologica Scandinavica
IS - 8
ER -