STUDY FINDS WAY TO PREVENT DEVICE-RELATED INFECTIONS
A new type of chemical bond between antibiotics and titanium, a material used in devices, may be the first step toward eliminating device-related infections, according to a recent report in the journal Chemistry and Biology.
Researchers at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia found that by fastening the antibiotic vancomycin to titanium powder they were able to immediately kill bacteria sensitive to the antibiotic. The scientists developed a bonding method to ensure that the antibiotic stays attached to metal.
Infections associated with orthopedic implants are one of the major causes of implant failure because when bacteria grow on an implant it cannot knit properly with the bone. "The biggest benefit of this work is to keep the infection from ever starting," Eric Wickstrom, one of the developers of the bonding method, says.