This hydrogel is even effective against antibiotic resistant bacteria.
- This hydrogel can both prevent and treat infections.
- Faced with antibiotic resistance, the main risk is the therapeutic impasse: antibiotics are no longer effective against these resistant bacteria, and there is no longer any possible treatment.
- According to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, more than 5,000 deaths are linked to infections with resistant bacteria each year in France.
It’s a revolutionary new dressing: a hydrogel a few millimeters thick to protect wounds from bacteria. It was developed by researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, located in Sweden. Details of the design of this material are published in ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering. “After testing our hydrogel on different types of bacteria, we found a very high level of effectiveness“, welcomes Martin Andersson, the main author of this research. The material is even effective against bacteria resistant to antibiotics.
A hydrogel safe for the skin
Scientists have been working on the development of this hydrogel at this university for several years. Initially, the objective of this research is to develop an alternative solution to antibiotics. The material contains anti-microbial peptides, these are small proteins naturally present in our immune system. “There is very little risk of bacteria developing resistance to them, as they only affect the outer part of the bacteria.“, emphasizes the Swedish researcher. It took several years of research to find a way to use peptides without damaging them: when they come into contact with liquid, such as blood, they degrade. Martin Andersson and his team use a hydrogel, because it allows the peptides to bind together inside, which protects them from liquid. “This material is very promising, adds Edvin Blomstrand, co-author. It is safe for human cells and non-aggressive for the skin. Other clinical studies are underway to validate its use. It could obtain CE marking as early as 2022, which would authorize its marketing in the European area.
New material can protect against resistant bacteria. Researchers at Chalmers University have developed a new material – a specially designed hydrogel, that works against all types of bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant ones. #antibiotics https://t.co/oY6Us9vClu pic.twitter.com/QP2zOMTNMz
— Chalmers University (@chalmersuniv) May 11, 2021
A tool in the fight against antibiotic resistance?
This new material could be a valuable tool in the fight against antibiotic resistance. The latter has been classified as one of the most serious threats to global health by the World Health Organization. It is linked to mutations in bacteria, which become resistant to antibiotics, following their misuse and/or overconsumption. “There is an urgent need to change the way we prescribe and use these medicines worldwide, indicated WHO on his site. Even as new antibiotics are developed, resistance will remain a serious threat without behavior change.” She calls in particular to reduce the spread of infections through vaccination and hand washing.
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