Antimicrobial Flush Solutions

Abstract

The present invention provides antimicrobial solutions that comprise at least one alcohol, at least one antimicrobial agent and at least one chelator and/or anticoagulant. Also provided are methods for rapidly reducing a microbe or a virus from surfaces including surfaces of indwelling medical devices and organic surfaces such as skin and sutures, and inorganic surfaces such as hospital equipment, pipelines etc.

1 . An antimicrobial solution comprising at least one alcohol, chlorhexidine and at least one chelator and/or anticoagulant. 
     
     
         2 .- 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The solution of  claim 1 , wherein the chelator is selected from the group of chelators consisting of EDTA free acid, EDTA 2Na, EDTA 3Na, EDTA 4Na, EDTA 2K, EDTA 2Li, EDTA 2NH 4 , EDTA 3K, Ba(II)-EDTA, Ca(II)-EDTA, Co(II)-EDTACu(II)-EDTA, Dy(III)-EDTA, Eu(III)-EDTA, Fe(III)-EDTA, In(III-EDTA, La(III)-EDTA, CyDTA, DHEG, diethylenetriamine penta acetic acid (DTPA), DTPA-OH, EDDA, EDDP, EDDPO, EDTA-OH, EDTPO, EGTA, HBED, HDTA, HIDA, IDA, Methyl-EDTA, NTA, NTP, NTPO, O-Bistren, TTHA, EGTA, DMSA, deferoxamine, dimercaprol, zinc citrate, a combination of bismuth and citrate, penicillamine, succimer and Etidronate. 
     
     
         12 . The solution of  claim 1 , wherein the anticoagulant is heparin, hirudin, EGTA, EDTA, urokinase, streptokinase, or hydrogen peroxide. 
     
     
         13 . The solution of  claim 1 , wherein the alcohol is ethanol, methanol, isopropanol, propylene glycol, benzyl alcohol, chlorobutanol or phenylethyl alcohol. 
     
     
         14 . The solution of  claim 1 , wherein the concentration of alcohol is in the range of 15%-30% (v/v). 
     
     
         15 . The solution of  claim 14 , wherein the concentration of the alcohol is in the range of 5%-20%. 
     
     
         16 . The solution of  claim 15 , wherein the concentration of alcohol is in the range of 5%-10%. 
     
     
         17 . The solution of  claim 1 , wherein the concentration of the alcohol is about 5%. 
     
     
         18 . The solution of  claim 1 , comprising ethanol, chlorhexidine and EDTA. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A method for reducing microbial organisms from a surface comprising contacting the surface with a solution in accordance with  claim 1 , for an amount of time sufficient to reduce microbial organisms on the surface. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the contacting is performed for 2 hours or less. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the contacting is performed for 1 hour or less. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the contacting is performed for 30 minutes or less. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the contacting is performed for 15 minutes or less. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the surface is the surface of a medical device, indwelling catheter, organic surface of inorganic surface. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the surface is a catheter, an endotracheal tube, a nephrostomy tube, a biliary stent, an orthopedic device, a prosthetic valve, a medical implant, dental devices or dental implants, cardiac assist devices, vascular grafts, tracheostomy, ventriclulostomy devices, an intrathecal device, a central venous catheter, a peripheral intravenous catheter, an arterial catheter, a Swan-Ganz catheter, a hemodialysis catheter, an urinary catheter, a peritoneal catheter, an umbilical catheter, a percutaneous nontunneled silicone catheter, a cuffed tunneled central venous catheter, a subcutaneous central venous port, skin, surgical suture, mucosal membrane surface, an epithelial surface, an oral cavity or other mucosal surface, the surface of a pipe or pipeline, a floor, a table-top, a counter-top, hospital equipment, or a wheel chair, an oil pipeline, a water pipeline, an ice machine pipe, or a beverage dispensing pipe. 
     
     
         28 .- 37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . A syringe or vial, comprising a unit dose of a pharmacologically effective amount of the solution of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         39 .- 40 . (canceled)