Posted on 08/16/2010 10:20:33 AM PDT by decimon
Building on an enzyme found in nature, researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have created a nanoscale coating for surgical equipment, hospital walls, and other surfaces which safely eradicates methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the bacteria responsible for antibiotic resistant infections.
“We’re building on nature,” said Jonathan S. Dordick, the Howard P. Isermann Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering, and director of Rensselaer’s Center for Biotechnology & Interdisciplinary Studies. “Here we have a system where the surface contains an enzyme that is safe to handle, doesn’t appear to lead to resistance, doesn’t leach into the environment, and doesn’t clog up with cell debris. The MRSA bacteria come in contact with the surface, and they’re killed.”
In tests, 100 percent of MRSA in solution were killed within 20 minutes of contact with a surface painted with latex paint laced with the coating.
The new coating marries carbon nanotubes with lysostaphin, a naturally occurring enzyme used by non-pathogenic strains of Staph bacteria to defend against Staphylococcus aureus, including MRSA. The resulting nanotube-enzyme “conjugate” can be mixed with any number of surface finishes — in tests, it was mixed with ordinary latex house paint.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.rpi.edu ...
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The problem is not MRSA contamination on surfaces.
MRSA lives in many peoples GI tracts peacefully, in a balance with other microorganisms.
Human intestines typically have between 300-1000 different varieties of microorganisms living there, and many of them are pathological. Of these, the vast majority are only 30-40 species, which occupy most of the available space, and “shoulder out” most pathogens.
However, MRSA has become immune to most antibiotics. So when a person takes antibiotics, a lot of their *other* bacteria are killed off, and this opens a large area for the MRSA to have a population explosion.
And once you have that much MRSA in your system, it becomes a very grave problem.
So the solution to this, which has already been tried at some hospitals, is to tightly restrict the use of antibiotics to just the few people for whom they are essential. This has been shown to radically reduce the number of MRSA infections.
In future, it is likely to become standard practice to analyze the stool of all patients entering a hospital, and correct for any “floral deficiencies”, which can be caused by far more things than antibiotics. If a patient has such a deficiency, it should be easily corrected with a bacterial supplement pill.
I have mrsa in my spine(osteomyelitis). Damn stuff is trying to kill me.
This is good to hear. MRSA tried to kill me.
Picked up in a medical facility? That seems to be a growing problem and if this coating eliminates much of that threat then good.
The best bet against MRSA, necrotizing fasciitis, and XDR-TB are likely to be bacteriophage viruses, which have tantalized scientists for decades now.
That is, the vast majority of all viruses attack bacteria, but they are incredibly picky about which bacteria a given virus will attack. If they could just find the right virus, it would take out that particular bacteria in the body without harming a person.
And nothing is ever easy.
Yeah, I’m running out of antibiotics. On cubicin now. Been through vancomycin, zyvox, and a few others.
How did you rid of it and where was yours?
Phew. The best bet I could suggest is to talk to your doctors about supplementary probiotic therapy, that is, taking bacteria pills in between times of taking antibiotics. But this is very physician oriented therapy, and should not be done without serious consultation.
Were it limited to the GI tract, it would be one thing, but outside of there is a whole different ball game.
“Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University say their review, published in American Family Physician, found seven high-quality studies supporting the use of probiotics to help avoid diarrhea caused by antibiotics and infections. The probiotics did not cause adverse effects — even in children — and did not diminish the effectiveness of antibiotics.”
“At Valley Lutheran Medical Center in Arizona, a protocol for probiotic prescription was followed for patients who were on antibiotic therapy to see if rates of CDAD would be reduced during the 90 day trial. Probiotic supplements were selected for purity and potency and contained a balanced combination of 5 billion Lactobaccillus acidophollus, 4 billion Bifidobacterium bifidum and 1 billion Bifidobacterium longum per capsule. Capsules were administered three times a day between meals to reduce the chance of stomach acids killing the bacteria before it reached the bowel. The data was compared to the two preceding years. There were 66% fewer incidences of CDAD while the probiotic protocol was followed (Graul, 2008).
“Combinations, rather than single probiotic strains, are needed to inhibit the actions of C.difficille. Potent probiotic supplements beyond what dietary sources such as yogurt can provide are necessary to bring a problem under control. R.Polton in his American Druggist article “Dispensing Friendly Fire” (1997), stated that10 to 20 billion probiotic bacteria per day are required to replace organisms in the bowel following antibiotic use; 1 billion bacteria per day afterward is adequate to maintain healthy balance.”
Mines oddly enough CA-MRSA in the form of epidural abscess. The incidence is about 1 in 20,000 hospital admissions. Three laminectomies in 18 months. Have a picc line now that will be removed in 6 days. Maybe 3 is a charm....
I’m tired. Thanks for the insight and info. I’ll ask about what you suugest. All the ID doctors have had a different approach and philosophy concerning this.
I picked it up from the mats where I trained at the time. Another guy I trained with almost died from it.
I had a small bump by my left knee that looked like a pimple or mosquito bite. Two days later I was on my way to the emergency room. Lots of IV antibiotics and having it cut open and drained eventually cured it.
Needless to say, since I still spend a lot time on the mats, I am very anal about hygiene now.
Thanks for the post. Nasty stuff....
...since I still spend a lot time on the mats, I am very anal about hygiene now.
Don't blame you.
Rensselaer is one of my daughter’s top picks for college.
Good reputation as a technical school. I read something that I read to mean it has gone in a PC direction. That likely won't detract from the engineering/science programs. Troy, N.Y., from what I've read, ain't the best place but the Albany area should be alright.
She went to camp there for Video Game Design Academy. She loved it. She is interested in computer science. And yes, Troy is...um, not so nice. Her other top pick is Worcester Poly Tech.
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