Short-chain cyanoacrylates and long-chain cyanoacrylates (Dermabond) have different antimicrobial effects.

Objective: To compare the antimicrobial effect in vitro of a short-chain cyanoacrylate with a long-chain cyanoacrylate (Dermabond, Ethicon, Johnson and Johnson, USA) against bacterial strains.

Methods and analysis: The following bacterial strains were analysed: Staphylococcus aureus , Escherichia coli , Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . For each microorganism, standardised sterile discs (6 mm) containing 10 µL of ethyl-cyanoacrylate and 2-octyl cyanoacrylate were applied to the plate. All plates received a blank filter-paper disc with no adhesive (control). All plates were incubated for 24 hours, after which the bacterial inhibitory halos, if present, were measured in millimetres in its greater length.

Results: Inhibitory halos were observed for both adhesives for S. aureus . Inhibition halos were observed only for ethyl-cyanoacrylate for K. pneumoniae and E. coli . No inhibition halo was observed for P. aeruginosa in any sample. The relationship between the total size of the inhibition halos and the diameter of the paper filter for S. aureus was statistically significant compared with 2-octyl cyanoacrylate.

Conclusion: Data shown conclude that ethyl-cyanoacrylate showed in vitro bacteriostatic activity for S. aureus , E. coli and K. pneumoniae . 2-Octyl cyanoacrylate showed in vitro lower bacteriostatic activity only against S. aureus when compared with ethyl-cyanoacrylate. No in vitro bactericidal activity of ethyl-cyanoacrylate or 2-octyl cyanoacrylate was observed.