Reducing the risk of infection in vascular access patients: an in vitro evaluation of an antimicrobial silver nanotechnology luer activated device.

Background: Luer-activated devices (LAD) have been designed to reduce the risk of sharps injury; however, published reports suggest that internal fluid path contamination occurs in selected devices. The present in vitro study compares the antimicrobial property of a silver-nanotechnology LAD to 8 nonantimicrobial LADs.

Methods: A laboratory reference strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (ATCC 33592) was used to prepare a standardized microbial challenge, 3.