Purpose: To analyze the antimicrobial properties of ethyl-cyanoacrylate (Superbonder, Loctite, Brazil) in vitro in different microorganisms related to corneal infections.
Methods: We analyzed the following microorganisms: (1) Staphylococcus aureus (multiresistant); (2) S. aureus (ATCC 25923); (3) coagulase-negative Staphylococcus; (4) Streptococcus pyogenes; (5) Streptococcus pneumoniae; (6) Pseudomonas aeruginosa (multiresistant); (7) P. aeruginosa (ATCC 27853); (8) Escherichia coli (ATCC25922); and (9) Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212). One drop of the glue was dropped directly into the nutrient broth. The plates were incubated at 35 +/- 2 degrees C and its growth examined after 24 hours. Bactericidal activity of the glue was verified by sampling inhibition zones when present. The samples were plated in blood agar an analyzed after 24 and 48 hours.
Results: The ethyl-cyanoacrylate inhibited the growth of every gram-positive microorganism tested and showed bactericidal effect over 70% for all of them. Among the gram-negative microorganisms, only the E. coli and the E. faecalis had its growth inhibited, and the bactericidal effect was 60% and 40%, respectively.
Conclusion: The ethyl-cyanoacrylate has bacteriostatic and bactericidal action in vitro, mainly against gram-positive microorganisms.