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Healthcare-associated infections are of global concern, and textiles can contribute to the transmission of pathogens. In this study, we examined quantitatively the survival capability of 60 multidrug-resistant bacterial strains from four species ( Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecium) on untreated cotton textile in clinically relevant incubation periods. We determined the antibacterial efficiency of textiles treated either with quaternary ammonium compound (QAC)-containing Sanitized T99-19 liquid (50 m/m% Dimethyltetradecyl (3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl) ammonium-chloride) or with silver salt-containing Sanitized T27-22 Silver liquid (2 m/m% AgCl and 8 m/m% TiO2) as well. Finally, we compared the results of the healthcare-associated, multidrug-resistant strains and antibiotic-sensitive, quality control standard strains (ATCC 25922, ATCC 11105 Escherichia coli, and ATCC 25923, ATCC 6538 Staphylococcus aureus) often used in antimicrobial efficiency tests. The results revealed that all investigated multidrug-resistant bacteria are able to survive on untreated cotton textile and pose health risk in hospitals. During one day the T27-22-Silver-treated textile was able to eliminate most of the Gram-positive pathogens, reducing the risk of cross-contamination, but none of the examined agents destroyed the multidrug-resistant, Gram-negative isolates. The antibiotic-susceptible and the multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains had similar survival capability and biocide-tolerance, while the risk of infections caused by multidrug-resistant, Gram-negative pathogens could be extremely underestimated using only ATCC Escherichia coli standard strains. Our results also draw attention to the careful evaluation of antimicrobial efficiency tests and indicate that a significant reduction of bacterial count does not necessarily mean significant antibacterial efficiency that would be suitable to avoid infections.

Epoxy resin-acrylated polyurethane semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (semi-IPNs) were synthesized containing various ratios of the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA)-based epoxy resin and an acrylated aliphatic urethane oligomer. The synthesis was carried out in the presence of a mixture of triarylsulfonium hexafluoroantimonate salts as a dual photoinitiator that initiates both the cationic polymerization of the epoxy resin and the free-radical polymerization of the acrylated urethane oligomer simultaneously, upon irradiation with ultraviolet light. The simultaneous photopolymerization, followed by isothermal differential scanning calorimetry measurements, gave rise to simultaneous semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (semi-SINs). During polymerization, partial inhibition of the cationic polymerization was noticed. This was investigated by determination of the gel content and the infrared spectroscopy of the soluble fraction, after extraction of the synthesized polymer films in a Soxhlet apparatus, and by determination of the network density of investigated systems with thermal mechanical analysis. The compatibility of the components in the semi-IPNs was investigated by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis. It was found that glass transition temperatures are shifted inwardly, which indicated that the epoxy resin-acrylated polyurethane semi-IPNs were compatible.

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