Phage cocktail-loaded hydrogel coating prevents the biofilm formation of MDR Acinetobacter baumannii on indwelling medical devices

Introduction Indwelling catheters and implantable medical devices are vital in clinical care, but are often complicated by device-associated infections, especially caused by Acinetobacter baumannii . This pathogen readily colonizes device surfaces and forms biofilms, limiting the efficacy of current preventive strategies such as antimicrobial coatings and surface modifications. Methods To address this, we developed a sodium alginate and polyvinyl alcohol-based hydrogel loaded with a bacteriophage cocktail against MDR Acinetobacter baumannii . Physicochemical characterisation of the hydrogel was tested, and the gel was coated onto the medical devices, including urinary catheter and Endotracheal tube. Results & discussion The system exhibited good biostability of the encapsulated phages and its sustained release behaviour, supporting the biomedical potential. The in vitro antibacterial assay demonstrated a clear zone of bacterial inhibition on the tested agar plates, and the antibiofilm assay showed a 4-5 log reduction in bacterial count in the Foley’s urinary catheter and a 4-7 log reduction on endotracheal tube surfaces at their respective physiological pH. In summary, the developed SA-PVA bacteriophage cocktail-loaded hydrogel exhibited strong antibacterial and antibiofilm efficacy along with sustained phage release, highlighting its potential as a translational strategy for preventing MDR A. baumannii -associated device-related infections.