Dental News - Nano coating raises hopes in fighting antibiotic resistance

Daniel Zimmermann, DTI

Wed. 18 August 2010

save

NEW YORK, NY, USA/LEIPZIG, Germany: The emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria is becoming a major problem in the fight against hospital-related infections. Researchers from New York and Albany in the United States have now reported the successful testing of a new nanoscale coating that can be used for surgical equipment or hospital walls and kills even super-resistant bugs like Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) within 20 minutes of contact.

MRSA is a bacteria-strain usually found on the skin and sometimes nasal passages of healthy people from where it can find its way into the body through cuts or healthcare-related equipment like catheters and breathing tubes. Infections caused by MRSA are difficult to treat because they do not respond to antibiotics used to treat staph infections such as penicillin or cephalosporin. In countries like the UK, more than 1,000 patients die of MRSA-related infections per year.

The new coating, which is based on a natural enzyme called lysostaphin, can be used with any type of surface furnishes the researchers said. In a field test, they mixed it with ordinary latex house paint, which was used to paint a number of walls in the Albany Medical College. They found that lysostaphin, which is only toxic to MRSA, works by first attaching itself to the bacterial cell wall and then kills it by slicing it open.

“It’s very effective. If you put a tiny amount of lysostaphin in a solution with Staphylococcus aureus, you’ll see the bacteria die almost immediately,” said Ravi Kane, a professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. “At the end of the day, we have a very selective agent that can be used in a wide range of environments—paints, coating, medical instruments, door knobs, surgical masks—and it’s active and it’s stable.”

Kane added that the coating has a dry storage shelf life of up to six months and can be washed repeatedly without loosing effectiveness.

To post a reply please login or register

Dental devices raise hope for facial rehabilitation

NEW YORK, NY, USA: A facial exercise programme involving devices used by dentists has shown prospects for the rehabilitation of facial nerve damage. ...

Titanium particles linked to antibiotic failure in peri-implantitis

NEWARK, N.J., US: In peri-implantitis cases that persist despite standard antimicrobial therapy, it is not clear what prevents the host response from ...

Fighting tooth decay with ‘sugar’

CHICAGO, IL / NEW YORK, NY, USA: If there’s one thing that all dentists have in common, it’s that they regularly see young patients with tooth ...

Nano-hybrid composites rank high in clinical study

SOUTH BEND, Ind., USA: As reported by the dental manufacturer Heraeus USA, its composite Venus Diamond and Tetric EvoCeram (Ivoclar Vivadent) have achieved ...

High-risk medicines in children’s dentistry raise safety concerns, study finds

PITTSBURGH, US: Prescribing high-risk medicines in children’s dentistry remains uncommon but, carries significant safety implications when it does occur. ...

Massachusetts hopes to enlist dental therapists in fight for oral healthcare equity

BOSTON, US: More than 300,000 Massachusetts residents lack access to oral care, and state legislators hope that licensing more dental therapists could ...

New York non-profit is recognized for fighting drug abuse

QUEENS, N.Y., USA: Assemblywoman Nily Rozic presented a New York State Assembly Citation to the Foundation for a Drug-Free World (FDFW) Northeast Chapter, ...

US study examines endodontic prescribing patterns to inform antibiotic stewardship

MINNEAPOLIS, US: Despite recommendations to limit systemic antibiotic use for localised endodontic infections, prescribing in endodontic care remains an ...

LightSpun raises US$13 million as dental AI continues to expand

BOSTON, US: Dental artificial intelligence (AI) startup LightSpun has secured US$13 million (€11 million*) in new funding, positioning the company at ...

Michael Douglas raises oral cancer awareness

LOS ANGELES, Calif., USA: Michael Douglas has joined the Oral Cancer Foundation's campaign against the deadly disease. The actor, who is a survivor of the ...

Education

Live webinar
Mon. 24 August 2026
2:00 PM EST (New York)