Microbial biofilms are highly refractory to antimicrobials. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of low-frequency vibration therapy (20–40 kHz) on antibiotic-mediated Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm eradication.

Biofilms are structured communities of bacteria that play a major role in the pathogenicity of bacteria and are the leading cause of antibiotic resistant bacterial infections on indwelling catheters and medical prosthetic devices. Failure to resolve these biofilm infections may necessitate the surgical removal of the prosthetic device which can be debilitating and costly.

Biofilms are bacterial communities embedded in extrapolysaccharide matrix which protects them from hostile environmental conditions. Biofilms are extremely resistant to antibiotics treatments and are a major cause of medical device-associated infections. Therefore immense efforts are being made in a search for alternative ways to eradicate bacterial biofilms.

Bacterial urinary tract infections resulting from prolonged patient catheterization have become a major health problem. One of the major issues is bacterial resistance to antibiotic treatments due to biofilm formation inside the catheters, thus enhancing the search for alternative treatments.

Low-energy surface acoustic waves generated from electrically activated piezo elements are shown to effec- tively prevent microbial biofilm formation on indwelling medical devices. The development of biofilms by four different bacteria and Candida species is prevented when such elastic waves with amplitudes in the nanometer range are applied.

The predominant form of life for the majority of microorganisms in any hydrated biologic system is a cooperative community termed a “biofilm.” A biofilm on an indwelling urinary catheter consists of adherent microorganisms, their extracellular products, and host components deposited on the catheter.

Clearly it is impossible to make a simple and accurate calculation of the financial cost attributable to catheter-associated urinary tract infections.

National evidence-based guidelines for preventing healthcare-associated infections (HCAI) in National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in England were commissioned by the Department of Health (DH) and developed during 1998-2000 by a nurse-led multi-professional team of researchers and specialist clinicians.

In double-blinded randomized control trial, of Uroshield, 55 patients in a skilled nursing facility chain who were being treated with long-term indwelling catheters were evaluated. There was a significant difference between the treated group and the placebo group in the number of CFU, as well as on the number of treated UTIs.