Daniela Wischer (Berlin / DE), Robert Hadersbeck (Berlin / DE), Layla Morad (Berlin / DE), Rainer Haag (Berlin / DE), Elisabeth Grohmann (Berlin / DE)
The escalating threat of antibiotic resistance has led to the exploration of alternative antimicrobial strategies. Antimicrobial surfaces have emerged as a promising means of infection-control in healthcare settings by preventing bacterial surface colonisation and transfer of germs. AGXX®, utilising contact-catalytic antimicrobial technology efficiently eliminates pathogenic bacteria, including multiresistant organisms, filamentous fungi, yeasts, and viruses by release of ROS. While AGXX®"s broad-range antimicrobial potential has been well demonstrated, quantitative data on its bactericidal efficacy are lacking.
Our study employed a modified ISO 22196 assay to quantitatively assess the bactericidal efficacy of AGXX®-surfaces. Testing against pathogenic Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains, AGXX®-sheets (Ru-coated silver) demonstrated a remarkable 5 log reduction in viable bacteria within 3 hours, outperforming uncoated silver sheets, which achieved a 1 log reduction in the same timeframe. Ongoing assessments include live/dead stains and microscopic evaluations as well as testing of further pathogenic bacteria and fungi under the same test protocol.
Standardized ISO tests provide an initial assessment for comparing and generating reproducible data to evaluate antimicrobial materials. Surface performance must be validated under application-specific conditions. Our preliminary data underscore AGXX®'s substantial pathogen-killing activity, positioning it favourably against plain silver surfaces. Future studies will explore specific healthcare applications, addressing implementation challenges and limitations. Expanding assessments to real-life conditions will allow for the definition of the most effective applications of AGXX® in healthcare settings. AGXX® stands out as a promising antimicrobial technology, deserving further exploration in the pursuit of robust infection control solutions.