Innovative textile technology with antimicrobial activity: preliminary tests

The prevalence of urinary tract infections (UTI) and antibiotic resistance prompts researchers to develop strategies for bacterial containment, such as antiseptic-active textiles. We verified the in vitro antimicrobial effect of innovative Nexus Energy Fiber compared to conventional cotton fabrics. The analytical procedure is performed in accordance with ASTM E-2180-07 document. Tests are realized both against clinical and reference UTI-responsible microorganisms by comparing CFUs declines on the two textiles, at different contact times (0, 6, 24, 48 hours) and at different distances between the fabrics and the microbial strains (0, 0.5-1 cm). Results show that Nexus Energy Fiber has a measurable bactericidal effect which depends on the distances and is directly proportional to the contact time on most of the tested microbial strains.