BACKGROUND Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a neglected tropical disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania. CL causes enormous suffering in many countries worldwide. There is no licensed vaccine against CL, and the chemotherapy options show limited efficacy and high toxicity. Localization of the parasites inside host cells is a barrier to most standard chemo- and immune-based...

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of different lens care systems in surface roughness and refractive index (RI) of contact lenses (CL). This information provides us with a better understanding of how care solutions affect CL materials. METHODS Several CL and three commercially available and appropriate lens care solutions were used (two polyhexamethylene biguanide and...

Purpose of review This paper reviews the literature generated on Acanthamoeba keratitis since 1998. Recent findings Acanthamoeba infections may be on the rise. Contact lenses are the biggest risk factor for their development. Silicone hydrogel lenses are increasingly prescribed and may be ‘more sticky’ to Acanthamoeba organisms. Orthokeratology for the treatment of myopia has been associated wi...

High-pressure laminates (HPLs) are durable, resistant to environmental effects and good cost-benefit decorative surface composite materials with special properties tailored to meet market demand. In the present work, polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) was incorporated for the first time into melamine-formaldehyde resin (MF) matrix on the outer layer of HPLs to provide them antimicrobial propert...

A flexible methacrylate powder dressing (Altrazeal®) transforms into a wound contour conforming matrix once in contact with wound exudate. We hypothesised that it may also serve as a drug delivery vehicle for antiseptics. The antimicrobial efficacy and influence on bacterial growth kinetics in combination with three antiseptics was investigated in an in vitro porcine wound model. Standardized i...

The aim of this study was to assess the in vitro antimicrobial effects of chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX), polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHBM), and octenidine dihydrochloride (OCT) on cariogenic microorganisms by using their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). CHX, PHBM, and OCT were diluted in distilled water to the final test concentrations. Usi...

A rapid and simple method for the determination of polyhexamethylene biguanide (polyhexanide, PHMB) in liquid and gel-like pharmaceutical formulations by means of high performance liquid chromatography coupled to diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD) was developed. Best separation was achieved using a cyanopropyl bonded phase (Agilent Zorbax Eclipse XDB-CN column 4.6 mm×75 mm with particle size of 3...

The incidence of Acanthamoeba keratitis, a disease associated with contact lens wear, has been in apparent decline with the advent of multipurpose contact lens solutions. The concentrations of the biguanides chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) and particularly polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) included in multipurpose solutions (MPSs) are sublethal for amoebae. We evaluated by flow cytometry the e...

Objective: This study analyzed the effect of biguanides (polyhexamethylene biguanide – PHMB and chlorhexidine – CHX) on dentin erosion due to their possible influence on the enzymatic degradation of the demineralized organic matrix. Method: Sixty bovine dentin specimens were prepared. On both sides of their surface, nail varnish was applied to maintain the reference surfaces for the determinati...

The use of antimicrobial compounds in textiles has grown dramatically over the last decades. The potential application field is wide. It ranges from industrial textiles exposed to weather such as awnings, screens and tents; upholstery used in large public areas such as hospitals, hotels and stations; fabrics for transports; protective clothing and personal protective equipment; bed sheets and b...