Combination of Tigecycline and N -Acetylcysteine Reduces Biofilm-Embedded Bacteria on Vascular Catheters

To assess the efficacy of an antibiofilm/antimicrobial agent combination, we incubated catheter segments colonized with one of six studied bacterial organisms in N-acetylcysteine, tigecycline, N-acetylcysteine-tigecycline, or saline. Segments were washed, sonicated, and cultured. N-acetylcysteine-tigecycline significantly decreased all viable biofilm-associated bacteria and was synergistic for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis.