Evaluation of Efficacy of Polygexamethylene biguanide in Experimental Pseudomonas aeruginosa Keratitis

Chung, Sung Kun; Lee, Ja Young; Hwang, David G

Abstract

To evaluate the efficacy of polygexamethylene biguanide(PHMB) in Pseudomonas aeruginosa(P. aeruginosa) keratites model, 10microliter of P. aeruginosa bacterial suspension(1x103 colony-forming unit(cfu)/ml) was injected intrastromally into rabbit corneas. Eighteen rabbits(36 eyes) were divided into three treatment groups: balanced salt solution(BSS) group(N=18 eyes). PHMB(0.02%, 200microliter/ml) group(n=9 eyes), tobramycin(14microliter/ml) group(n=9 eyes). Topical antibiotic drops were given hourly from 12 hours after inoculation. A subconjunctival infection was every 24 hours during the first 72 hours. The Severity of keratitis was scored in basked fashion every 8 hours. Corneal buttons were excised and homogenized at the end of the study to determine the viable bacterial counts. In P. aeruginosa keratitis model, tobramycin was statistically more efficacious than PHMB, according the clinical scores at 58 hours(9.9 vs. 15.1, P<0.0001) and log10 cfu(0.54+/-0.21 vs. 4.87+/-1.07. P<0.0001). No differences were found between the PHMB and BSS groups in either clinical scores or bacterial counts. PHMB appears to be ineffective against P. aeruginosa in experimental keratitis model of rabbit.