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The effect of chlorhexidine and gentian violet on the adherence of Candida spp. to urinary catheters

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Abstract

Urinary tract infection associated with catheters is the most common infection in the hospital environment. The adherence of microorganisms to the surface is a determining factor in colonization and infection. Antiseptics such as chlorhexidine and gentian violet have been shown to be effective against yeasts, as well as having low toxicity and being low-cost. The objective of the present study was to evaluate whether prior treatment of siliconized latex urinary catheters with antiseptics reduces the adherence of yeasts. Two reference strains of C. albicans (ATCC 645448 and ATCC 90028) and six strains isolated from catheter, two each of C. albicans, C. tropicalis, and C. parapsilosis, were used. An in␣vitro study of adherence was carried out with previously treated catheters, in separate experiments of 1 h and 24 h of incubation under continued shaking. The relative hydrophobicity of the cell surface of the yeasts before and after 1 h of exposure to chlorhexidine was determined. The results demonstrated that both treatments were effective in controlling the adherence of yeast to the catheter (P < 0.0001), and that the hydrophobicity of the eight strains significantly increased after contact with chlorhexidine (P < 0.0001). These results suggest that the antimicrobial activity of chlorhexidine and gentian violet reduces the adherence of the microorganisms to the catheter.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by Fundação Araucária, Paraná, Brazil. The authors wish to thank Peter Grimshaw and Janet W. Reid for English revision of this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Medical Mycology – Teaching and Research in Clinical Analysis Laboratory, State University of Maringá, Maringa, Parana, Brazil

    D. P. Camacho & T. I. E. Svidzinski

  2. Department of Dentistry, State University of Maringá, Maringa, Parana, Brazil

    A. Gasparetto

  3. Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Laboratório de Ensino e Pesquisa em Análises Clínicas – LEPAC, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Avenida Colombo No. 5790, Bloco J90, sala 11, Maringa, Parana, CEP 87020-900, Brazil

    T. I. E. Svidzinski

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  1. D. P. Camacho
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  2. A. Gasparetto
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  3. T. I. E. Svidzinski
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Correspondence to T. I. E. Svidzinski.

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Camacho, D.P., Gasparetto, A. & Svidzinski, T.I.E. The effect of chlorhexidine and gentian violet on the adherence of Candida spp. to urinary catheters. Mycopathologia 163, 261–266 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-007-9007-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-007-9007-x

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