The feasibility of using colicins to create an antimicrobial lubricant to prevent extraluminal catheter contamination during urinary catheter insertion was assessed. Levels of resistance of uropathogenic Escherichia coli to antibiotics and colicins were compared and it was revealed that antibiotics and colicins possess similar frequencies of resistance to a single drug, while colicins exhibit significantly lower levels of multi-drug resistance (22%) than antibiotics (42%). Colicins and antibiotics showed complementary inhibitory activity, with each targeting different subsets of pathogenic isolates. The collateral impact of these two antimicrobials on genera that are members of the fecal/vaginal/urinary microbiome was assessed, with colicins showing significantly less collateral damage than antibiotics. Using a novel colicin, SR4, we determined MICs for a panel of 30 uropathogenic isolates and showed that SR4 achieved the same antimicrobial efficacy as gentamicin using 20-30% less drug. Finally, we created a SR4-impregnated catheter lubricant and demonstrated its ability to prevent extraluminal urinary catheter contamination in vitro. These data argue that a colicin-impregnated lubricant may provide a viable prophylactic option for preventing catheter-associated urinary tract infections.
International journal of antimicrobial agents. 2019 Jul 05 [Epub ahead of print]
Sandra M Roy, Margaret A Riley
University of Massachusetts Amherst, 611 N. Pleasant Street Morrill Science Center III Amherst, MA 01003. Electronic address: ., University of Massachusetts Amherst, 611 N. Pleasant Street Morrill Science Center III Amherst, MA 01003. Electronic address: .