Abstract
Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are among the most common hospital-acquired infections worldwide, affecting over 150 million people annually and placing substantial burdens on healthcare systems. The treatment of CAUTIs is becoming increasingly challenging due to the rise of
antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) pathogens. While a few anti-infection catheters are in clinical use, no current technology can provide long-term (>30 days) infection control. The root cause lies in the complex pathogenesis of CAUTIs, which involves a cascade of events, including inflammation-induced host protein deposition, bacterial swarming migration, biofilm formation, and encrustation. Traditional strategies to combat CAUTIs focus on pathogen elimination or preventing attachment, but an ideal catheter addressing all pathogenesis-related factors remains undeveloped. In this research, we developed a range of coatings to target the entire pathogenesis process of CAUTIs, combining superrepellent polymer brushes (SPB), anti-swarming inhibitors (ASI), and antimicrobial nanozymes (ANZ). Results showed that SPB and ASI copolymerized at a 1:1.6 molar ratio retained a slippery, liquid-like coating that effectively inhibited trauma-induced inflammation, protein deposition, and Proteus
mirabilis adhesion and migration. TiO₂-based ANZs demonstrated a two-fold reduction in MIC/MBC against Proteus mirabilis compared to nitrofurantoin and showed no AMR within 28 days. Coatings combining SPB, ASI, and ANZ at a 1:1.6:2.1 molar ratio exhibited potent antibiofilm activity, reducing biomass accumulation by over 99.9% after seven days compared to commercial antimicrobial catheters. This study presents a new design paradigm for next-generation anti-infection surfaces.
antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) pathogens. While a few anti-infection catheters are in clinical use, no current technology can provide long-term (>30 days) infection control. The root cause lies in the complex pathogenesis of CAUTIs, which involves a cascade of events, including inflammation-induced host protein deposition, bacterial swarming migration, biofilm formation, and encrustation. Traditional strategies to combat CAUTIs focus on pathogen elimination or preventing attachment, but an ideal catheter addressing all pathogenesis-related factors remains undeveloped. In this research, we developed a range of coatings to target the entire pathogenesis process of CAUTIs, combining superrepellent polymer brushes (SPB), anti-swarming inhibitors (ASI), and antimicrobial nanozymes (ANZ). Results showed that SPB and ASI copolymerized at a 1:1.6 molar ratio retained a slippery, liquid-like coating that effectively inhibited trauma-induced inflammation, protein deposition, and Proteus
mirabilis adhesion and migration. TiO₂-based ANZs demonstrated a two-fold reduction in MIC/MBC against Proteus mirabilis compared to nitrofurantoin and showed no AMR within 28 days. Coatings combining SPB, ASI, and ANZ at a 1:1.6:2.1 molar ratio exhibited potent antibiofilm activity, reducing biomass accumulation by over 99.9% after seven days compared to commercial antimicrobial catheters. This study presents a new design paradigm for next-generation anti-infection surfaces.
Original language | English |
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Pages | 527 |
Number of pages | 1 |
Publication status | Published - 31 Mar 2025 |
Event | Microbiology Society Annual Conference 2025 - Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom Duration: 31 Mar 2025 → 03 Apr 2025 https://microbiologysociety.org/event/annual-conference/annual-conference-2025.html#tab-1 |
Conference
Conference | Microbiology Society Annual Conference 2025 |
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Country/Territory | United Kingdom |
City | Liverpool |
Period | 31/03/2025 → 03/04/2025 |
Internet address |