AUTHOR=Gregory Tyler V. , Ellis Karen , Valeriani Renzo , Khan Faidad , Wu Xueqing , Murin Landon , Alibayov Babek , Vidal Ana G. Jop , Zhao Tong , Vidal Jorge E. 

TITLE=MoWa: A Disinfectant for Hospital Surfaces Contaminated With Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Other Nosocomial Pathogens

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=Volume 11 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2021.676638

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2021.676638

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=Introduction. Staphylococcus aureus strains, including MRSA and MSSA, are a main cause of nosocomial infection in the world. The majority of nosocomial S. aureus-infection are traced back to a source of contaminated surfaces including surgery tables. We assessed the efficacy of a mixture of levulinic acid (LA) and SDS, hereafter called MoWa, to eradicate nosocomial pathogens from contaminated surfaces. 
Methods and Results. A dose response study demonstrated that MoWa killed planktonic cultures of S. aureus strains starting at a concentration of (LA) 8.2/(SDS) 0.3 mM while preformed biofilms were eradicated with 32/1.3 mM. A time course study further showed that MRSA biofilms were eradicated within 1 h min of incubation with 65/2 µM MoWa. Staphylococci were killed as confirmed by bacterial counts and fluorescence micrographs stained with the live/dead bacterial assay. We then simulated contamination of hospital surfaces by inoculating bacteria on a surface prone to contamination. Once dried, contaminated surfaces were sprayed with MoWa, or mock-treated, and treated contaminated surfaces were swabbed and bacteria counted. While bacteria in the mock-treated samples grew at a density of 10E4 cfu/cm2, those treated for 1 min with MoWa had been eradicated below the detection limit. A similar eradication efficacy was obtained when surfaces were contaminated with other nosocomial pathogens such as Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumanii, or S. epidermidis. 
Conclusions. MoWa kills planktonic and biofilms made by MRSA and MSSA strains and showed great efficacy to disinfect MRSA-, and MSSA-contaminated, surfaces and surfaces contaminated with other important nosocomial pathogens.