Activity of Electrical Current in Experimental Propionibacterium acnes Foreign Body Osteomyelitis [PublishAheadOfPrint]

Foreign body-associated infection is often difficult to treat, given that the associated microorganisms are in a biofilm state. Previously, we showed that low-amperage direct electrical current (DC) reduces biofilms of Propionibacterium acnes formed on implant-associated materials in vitro. Herein, low-amperage DC was compared to ceftriaxone or no treatment in a novel rat femur foreign body osteomyelitis model. A platinum implant seeded with 10⁷ CFU/cm² as well as 10⁹ CFU of planktonic P. acnes were placed into the femoral medullary cavity. One week later, rats were assigned to one of three treatment groups - no treatment, ceftriaxone treatment or 200 μA DC treatment. After two weeks of treatment, there was a reduction of bacteria in bone in the ceftriaxone versus the control group (3.06 versus 6.58 log₁₀ cfu/g of bone, respectively, p=0.0209), as well as in the 200 μA DC (0.5 log₁₀ cfu/g of bone) versus the control group (p=0.0015). There were fewer bacteria in the DC-exposed compared to the ceftriaxone-treated animals (p=0.0330). There was a reduction of bacteria on the implanted wires between the control group (2.53 log₁₀ cfu/cm²) and the ceftriaxone (0.1 log₁₀ cfu/cm²) and 200 μA DC (0.1 log₁₀ cfu/cm²) groups (p=0.0003 for both). Low-amperage DC may be useful to treat or aid in the treatment of foreign-body infections caused by P. acnes.

http://ift.tt/2eHBodS