An easy-to-use antimicrobial hydrogel effectively kills bacteria, fungi, and influenza virus

Abstract

Various drug resistant pathogens such as bacteria, fungi and viruses enter a host through different routes, which can lead to health-related problems and even fatalities. Propagation of these infectious microbes majorly occurs through the mucosal openings or upon topical contact. To curb their transmission or to cure infections associated with these pathogens, herein we describe the development of an antimicrobial hydrogel, based on a water soluble quaternary lipophilic polyethyleneimine derivative (QPEINH-C₆). The cationic polymer QPEINH-C₆ exhibited antibacterial activity against drug-resistant Gram-positive bacteria (MIC = 10–62 μg mL⁻¹) and Gram-negative bacteria (MIC = 117–123 μg mL⁻¹). The derivative showed killing of human pathogenic fungi (MIC = 58–67 μg mL⁻¹), including their clinical isolates. The rapid bactericidal and fungicidal nature were confirmed from the fast inactivation kinetics of bacterial cells (methicillin resistant S. aureus and vancomycin resistant S. aureus) within 3–6 hours and C. albicans within 1 h with ∼5–6 log reduction in the microbial burden. This antibacterial and antifungal cationic polymer was then used to construct an antimicrobial shear-thinning hydrogel (Bacfuvir), through non-covalent crosslinking with biocompatible gellan and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). This hydrogel displayed ∼5–7 log reduction of numerous multidrug-resistant bacteria and their stationary phase cells which are insusceptible to conventional antibiotics. In addition, >99.9 % viable bacterial burden was reduced from preformed biofilm matrices of drug-resistant bacteria. Alongside, fluconazole-resistant C. albicans strains were killed completely within 15–60 min upon exposure to Bacfuvir gel. Most importantly, MRSA and C. albicans cells were reduced (3–4 log) in polymicrobial biofilms after hydrogel treatment. The hydrogel exhibited 99.9 % reduction of influenza viruses in a rapid manner. Due to the biocompatibility of Bacfuvir gel on topical application in a murine model and easy administration owing to its shear-thinning behaviour, this hydrogel can markedly contribute to mitigating drug-resistant bacterial, fungal and viral infections in healthcare settings.