We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Download Mobile App




Antimicrobial Nanomaterials Battle Biofilm Infection

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 01 Sep 2014
Print article
An innovative antibacterial gel could be the sought-after breakthrough in the fight against antibiotic-resistant biofilm formation on medical implants.

Developed by researchers at Queen’s University (Belfast, United Kingdom) and Brandeis University (Waltham, MA, USA), the new gel is composed of ultra-short cationic naphthalene-derived self-assembled peptides that form a supramolecular hydrogel at physiological pH, which rapidly kills bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus Aureus, and Escherichia coli. At the same times, the gels possess reduced cytotoxicity relative to the bacterial cells, with limited erythrocyte hemolysis.

In laboratory studies, lysine conjugated variants of the antibacterial gel displayed the greatest potency, significantly reducing the viable Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm by 94%. Reducing the size of the R-group methylene chain resulted in an even greater reduction of antibiofilm activity. According to the researchers, the self-assembling dipeptides conjugated to naphthalene show considerable promise as nanomaterial structures, biomaterials, and drug delivery devices. The study was published ahead of print on August 7, 2014, in Biomacromolecules.

“When bacteria attach to surfaces, including medical implants such as hip replacements and catheters, they produce a jelly-like substance called biofilm. This protective layer is almost impossible for current antibiotics to penetrate,” said lead author Garry Laverty, PhD, of Queens University School of Pharmacy. “This renders bacteria deep within this protective layer resistant, as they remain unexposed to the therapy. They grow and thrive on surfaces causing difficult to treat infections. The only option often is to remove the medical implant leading to further pain and discomfort for the patient.”

The presence of biofilm bacteria, which thrive on implant surfaces, are a huge burden on healthcare budgets, as they are highly resistant to current therapeutic strategies and often result in infections that are responsible for high rates of patient mortality and morbidity.

Related Links:

Queen’s University
Brandeis University


Gold Member
SARS‑CoV‑2/Flu A/Flu B/RSV Sample-To-Answer Test
SARS‑CoV‑2/Flu A/Flu B/RSV Cartridge (CE-IVD)
Gold Member
Real-Time Diagnostics Onscreen Viewer
GEMweb Live
Silver Member
Compact 14-Day Uninterrupted Holter ECG
NR-314P
New
Computed Tomography (CT) Scanner
Aquilion Serve SP

Print article

Channels

Surgical Techniques

view channel
Image: The Early Bird Bleed Monitoring System provides visual and audible indicators of the onset and progression of bleeding events (Photo courtesy of Saranas)

Novel Technology Monitors and Lowers Bleeding Complications in Patients Undergoing Heart Procedures

Bleeding complications at the femoral access site can significantly hamper recovery, affecting the success of procedures, patient satisfaction, and overall healthcare costs. It is crucial for surgeons... Read more

Patient Care

view channel
Image: The newly-launched solution can transform operating room scheduling and boost utilization rates (Photo courtesy of Fujitsu)

Surgical Capacity Optimization Solution Helps Hospitals Boost OR Utilization

An innovative solution has the capability to transform surgical capacity utilization by targeting the root cause of surgical block time inefficiencies. Fujitsu Limited’s (Tokyo, Japan) Surgical Capacity... Read more

Health IT

view channel
Image: First ever institution-specific model provides significant performance advantage over current population-derived models (Photo courtesy of Mount Sinai)

Machine Learning Model Improves Mortality Risk Prediction for Cardiac Surgery Patients

Machine learning algorithms have been deployed to create predictive models in various medical fields, with some demonstrating improved outcomes compared to their standard-of-care counterparts.... Read more

Point of Care

view channel
Image: The new eye-safe laser technology can diagnose traumatic brain injury (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Novel Diagnostic Hand-Held Device Detects Known Biomarkers for Traumatic Brain Injury

The growing need for prompt and efficient diagnosis of traumatic brain injury (TBI), a major cause of mortality globally, has spurred the development of innovative diagnostic technologies.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.