THE BROAD-SPECTRUM ACTIVITY AND EFFICACY OF CATHETERS COATED WITH MINOCYCLINE AND RIFAMPIN

The in vitro and in vivo activities of catheters coated with minocycli ne and rifampin and with chlorhexidine gluconate and silver sulfadiazi ne were evaluated, When incubated in serum at 37 degrees C, the half-l ife of the inhibitory activity of catheters coated with minocycline an d rifampin was 25 days compared with 3 days for catheters coated with chlorhexidine gluconate and silver sulfadiazine, In a rabbit model, ca theters coated with minocycline and rifampin were significantly more e fficacious than catheters coated with chlorhexidine and silver sulfadi azine in preventing colonization and infection with Staphylococcus aur eus (P < .05). Catheters coated with minocycline and rifampin demonstr ated broad-spectrum in vitro inhibitory activity against gram-positive bacteria, gramnegative bacteria, and Candida albicans that was signif icantly superior to the inhibitory activity of catheters coated with c hlorhexidine gluconate and silver sulfadiazine (P < .01). Minocycline and rifampin were also highly efficacious in preventing colonization a nd infection in vivo.