RESUMO
Bacterial keratitis is a risk associated with the use of contact lenses for cosmetic purposes or vision correction. In this in vitro experimental study, we examined the ability of the ocular pathogen Serratia marcescens to adhere to monthly or biweekly replacement contact lenses. We performed quantitative adhesion assays to evaluate the adherence of S. marcescens to seven contact lens materials: comfilcon A, senofilcon A, omafilcon B, fanfilcon A, balafilcon A, senofilcon C, and lehfilcon A. Lehfilcon A is a newly marketed silicon hydrogel contact lens with a surface modification of poly-(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC). PMPC has previously been demonstrated to be an effective anti-biofouling treatment for numerous surfaces. We observed low S. marcescens adherence to lehfilcon A compared to other materials. We demonstrate the use of the fluorescent dye 5(6)-Carboxytetramethylrhodamine succinimidyl ester to covalently stain live cells prior to material adhesion studies.
RESUMO
Humans have worn clothing for thousands of years, and since its invention, clothing has evolved from its simple utilitarian function for survival to become an integral part of society. While much consideration has been given to the broad environmental impacts of the textile and laundering industries, little is known about the impact wearing clothing has had on the human microbiome, particularly that of the skin, despite our long history with clothing. This review discusses the history of clothing and the evolution of textiles, what is and is not known about microbial persistence on and degradation of various fibres, and what opportunities for the industrial and environmental application of clothing microbiology exist for the future.
