Objective . This paper is an initial work towards developing particle-mediated histotripsy (PMH) as a novel method of treating catheter-based medical device (CBMD) intraluminal biofilms. Impact Statement . CBMDs commonly become infected with bacterial biofilms leading to medical device failure, infection, and adverse patient outcomes. Introduction . Histotripsy is a noninvasive focused ultrasound ablation method that was recently proposed as a novel method to remove intraluminal biofilms. Here, we explore the potential of combining histotripsy with acoustically active particles to develop a PMH approach that can noninvasively remove biofilms without the need for high acoustic pressures or real-time image guidance for targeting. Methods . Histotripsy cavitation thresholds in catheters containing either gas-filled microbubbles (MBs) or fluid-filled nanocones (NCs) were determined. The ability of these particles to sustain cavitation over multiple ultrasound pulses was tested after a series of histotripsy exposures. Next, the ability of PMH to generate selective intraluminal cavitation without generating extraluminal cavitation was tested. Finally, the biofilm ablation and bactericidal capabilities of PMH were tested using both MBs and NCs. Results . PMH significantly reduced the histotripsy cavitation threshold, allowing for selective luminal cavitation for both MBs and NCs. Results further showed PMH successfully removed intraluminal biofilms in Tygon catheters. Finally, results from bactericidal experiments showed minimal reduction in bacteria viability. Conclusion . The results of this study demonstrate the potential for PMH to provide a new modality for removing bacterial biofilms from CBMDs and suggest that additional work is warranted to develop histotripsy and PMH for treatment of CBMD intraluminal biofilms.

We report the complete genome sequence of a clinical isolate of Providencia stuartii strain CMC-4104, isolated from a splenic abscess. Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) and Illumina sequencing reads were assembled using Geneious to generate a 4,504,925-bp circular chromosome containing multiple copies of the NDM-1 and PER-1 genes in a genomic resistance island.

We report the complete genome of clinical strain Pseudomonas aeruginosa CMC-115, which was isolated from an acute ventilator-associated pneumonia patient. Illumina sequencing reads were assembled using Geneious to yield a 6,375,262-bp circular chromosome that exhibited an unusual ferrichrome receptor in the pyoverdine synthesis locus and the absence of type 3 secretion system genes.

Biofilms develop in sequential steps resulting in the formation of three-dimensional communities of microorganisms that are encased in self-produced extracellular polymeric substances. Biofilms play a key role in device-associated infections, such as catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), because they protect microorganisms from standard antimicrobial therapies. Current strategies to prevent biofilm formation in catheter-related infections, including prophylactic antibiotics and antibiotic-coated catheters, have been unsuccessful. This finding highlights a need for novel approaches to address this clinical problem. In this study, biofilm-forming phenotypes of common Gram-negative bacteria associated with CAUTIs were treated with antisense peptide nucleic acids (PNAs), and biofilm biomass and bacterial viability were quantified after 24 h of treatment. A cocktail of PNAs targeting the global regulator genes rsmA, amrZ, and rpoS in Pseudomonas aeruginosa significantly reduced viability and thus appropriately eliminated biofilm biomass. Antisense-PNAs against these same gene targets and the motility regulator gene motA inhibited biofilm formation among isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, and Escherichia coli but did not reduce bacterial viability. These results suggest that antisense-PNAs are a promising new technology in preventing biofilm formation in urinary catheters, especially as a potential complement to conventional antimicrobials.

Urinary catheterization is a common procedure, affecting 15%–25% of hospitalized patients. This procedure, however, often results in bacterial infections, primarily caused by biofilm‐forming Gram‐negative bacteria that adhere to the catheter surface. To address this challenge, we developed a polymer‐based antimicrobial coating using polydopamine (PD) embedded with gentamicin (Gent). We evaluated the antibiofilm efficacy of this coating (PD‐Gent) using a biofilm‐forming isolate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAO1) as P. aeruginosa is commonly implicated in catheter‐related infections. We observed that the PD‐Gent coating significantly reduced biofilm formed by PAO1 compared to the uncoated control. Importantly, the coating maintained its antibiofilm activity across diverse substrates, including polystyrene, poly(vinyl chloride), and silicone. The approach was further extended to incorporate other antibiotics (tobramycin, amikacin), demonstrating adaptability to multiple antimicrobial agents. Finally, artificial urine inoculated with PAO1 was deployed through PD‐Gent–coated silicone Foley catheters under continuous flow for 24 h. Despite this continuous introduction of PAO1, the coated catheters inhibited biofilm formation by three‐fold compared to the uncoated control catheters. These findings underscore the promise of PD‐Gent as a robust, versatile coating with strong potential to significantly reduce the incidence of catheter‐associated infections in clinical settings.

We report the complete genome of a clinical strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa , CMC-097, which was isolated from a ventilator-associated pneumonia patient with a chronic infection. Illumina sequence reads were assembled using Geneious to yield a 7,044,064-bp circular chromosome containing a carbapenem resistance integron, In 2020 .