Characterization of the developed antimicrobial urological catheters.

Antimicrobial urological catheters were developed by the mixed, covalent and non-covalent binding of sparfloxacin (SPA) to heparin (HP) film which was first deposited on the latex surface of biomaterial. The SPA-HP modified surface was characterized by SEM analysis and ATR-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. For the antimicrobial prevention, SPA as an antibiotic with a broad antimicrobial spectrum was chosen. Antimicrobial activity of antibiotic-modified catheter against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli strains was assessed using various procedures. On the basis of the inhibition zone and diffusion assays the efficacy around the modified catheters was demonstrated. The test samples clearly showed an antibacterial activity against all tested bacterial stains for a least one month. Inhibition of the bacterial colonization on the modified catheter surface was proved by the biofilm test. Antimicrobial activity of SPA-treated catheter surface was also quantitatively evaluated according to standard method of ISO based on JIS. The R-values were found to be higher than 3.8. The performed research indicated that the immobilization of SPA on the catheter surface by means of the mixed-type bonds resulted in stable antibacterial protection of the urological catheters for a long time.