News

This month, the Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden has published the results of a study demonstrating that resistant bacteria, when paired with material equipped with antibacterial peptides, can regain susceptibility to antibiotics.

The study, conducted in a laboratory environment, concluded that antibiotics – such as oxacillin – could achieve an increase in their bactericidal effect by up to 64-fold when in combination with antibacterial material containing hydrogel with antibacterial peptides. Two different strains of bacterial cultures from staphylococci (S. aureus) were tested, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Data obtained from exposing the material to the latter strain was shown to have the most powerful effect, in addition to the antibiotic oxacillin – which MRSA is normally resistant to.

Martin Andersson, research leader and professor of applied chemistry at Chalmers, commented, “The material could be used in healthcare settings, for example following surgeries – a possibility already available for veterinary care in some countries – and at home. It could function like a regular Band-Aid, especially for those concerned about infections. This can be particularly interesting in areas with a high prevalence of resistant infections, such as certain parts of Africa and Asia, where extra caution is needed with wound injuries.”

The antibacterial material has been studied by researchers to ensure that the effectiveness of antibiotics was not affected when used in tandem with the material, to enable its use in a clinical setting. The bactericidal material has been studied by researchers for years, leading to the development of the product for medical applications.

Previous attempts at pairing the antibacterial peptides and antibiotics have not been successful. In this pairing, the peptides are attached to a hydrogel, which increases stability and longevity, according to the press release.