Battery armband
Particularly dangerous bacteria sentenced to death by electricity
Yulia Vorobyova, Vesti
Researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine have found a way to strengthen the fight against bacterial infections with electricity. Scientists have developed wound dressings that use a weak electric field to destroy bacterial biofilms.
Let us explain that some microorganisms are able to form colonies by coupling their cells with each other. These cells are usually located in a sticky mucus consisting of extracellular matter.
Such bacteria are extremely dangerous: they often develop resistance to antibiotics and are better protected from environmental influences.
The authors of the work specify that biofilms are often formed on wounds and burns, after operations or other interventions that are performed using various tools, for example, catheters (by the way, scientists have recently created a new protective coating for the latter).
According to estimates of various scientific centers, from 65 to 80% of all bacterial infections are caused by pathogens forming biofilms.
Previously, it was found that such bacteria generate electricity and use their own electric fields to communicate with each other and form biofilms.
The researchers suggested that a weak electric field could interfere with the formation of biofilms and destroy those that are already present on the wound.
The team has created a special fabric on which silver and zinc particles are applied. Such a tissue, when in contact with the fluids present in the wound, generates one volt of electricity. An external power source is not required for this: only an electrochemical reaction is needed, which is triggered when the bandage comes into contact with body fluids (blood, various wound secretions).
It is noted that the electric field generated in this way is harmless to the patient, but it can destroy the bacterial biofilm and prevent the subsequent formation of new colonies of pathogens.
Tests on pigs have shown that such dressings prevent the formation of biofilm when applied to the wound after 2 hours, and also destroy the already formed biofilm seven days after infection.
Moreover, doctors observed other positive effects: accelerated wound healing, reduced inflammation and restoration of the barrier function of the skin.
According to scientists, the new dressings are effective on their own, but in combination with antibiotics, the therapeutic effect will be enhanced. At the same time, it is important that even superbugs, which are not afraid of modern drugs, are unlikely to be able to develop resistance to electrical effects.
"We have shown for the first time that bacterial biofilm can be destroyed by electrochemical dressing. This [achievement] is important for all surgery, since the presence of biofilm can lead to many complications even after successful surgical operations," said the lead author of the work Chandan Sen.
A new wireless electrochemical dressing is currently undergoing clinical trials involving patients with burns. Scientists evaluate its effectiveness. The development has already received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration.
A scientific article based on the results of the work is presented in the journal Annals of Surgery (Barki et al., Electric Field Based Dressing Disorders Mixed-Species Bacterial Biofilm Infection and Restores Functional Wound Healing).
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru