Contact Effect of a . Extract on Biofilm of a Strain Isolated from a 3T Heater-Cooler System.

is an opportunistic slowly growing non-tuberculous mycobacteriumof increasing importance due to the outbreak of cases associated with contaminated 3T heater-cooler device (HCD) extracorporeal membrane oxygenator (ECMO). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of pre-treating a surface with a CECT 7180 extract to inhibit the ECMO biofilm as well as of the treatment after different dehydration times. Surface adherence, biofilm formation and treatment effect were evaluated by estimating colony-forming units (CFU) per square centimeter and characterizing the amount of covered surface area, thickness, cell viability, and presence of intrinsic autofluorescence at different times using confocal laser scanning microscopy and image analysis. We found that exposing a surface to the CECT 7180 extract inhibited ECMO biofilm development. This effect could be result of the effect of proteins, such as DNaK, trigger factor, and xanthine oxidase. In conclusion, exposing a surface to the . extract inhibits ECMO biofilm development. Furthermore, this extract could be used as a pre-treatment prior to disinfection protocols for equipment contaminated with mycobacteria after dehydration for at least 96 h.