PREVENTION OF BACTERIAL ADHERENCE TO IMPLANT SURFACES WITH A CROSS-LINKED ALBUMIN COATING IN-VITRO

Titanium surfaces were coated with bovine serum albumin using carbodii mide, a crosslinking agent. The durability of the coated surfaces anti the inhibitory effect of the albumin coating on bacterial adherence w ere tested in vine for 20 consecutive days at 37 degrees C in phosphat e buffered saline with intermittent agitation. The results showed that only 10% of the coated bovine serum albumin decayed off the surface d uring the 20-day incubation period. The inhibition rate of the albumin cotting on bacterial adherence remained high (greater than 85%) throu ghout the experiment. The results suggested potential use of this cros slinked albumin coating to reduce bacterial adherence and thus the sub sequent possibility of prosthetic or implant infection in vivo.