Biofilms News and Research

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WSU researchers develop novel technology to treat chronic wound infections

A WSU research team has successfully used a mild electric current to take on and beat drug-resistant bacterial infections, a technology that may eventually be used to treat chronic wound infections.

29 Nov 2016

Molecular chameleons can help track formation of bacterial biofilms

Molecules that change colour can be used to follow in real-time how bacteria form a protective biofilm around themselves.

23 Nov 2016

Polysorbate slows toxic effects of E. coli poisoning

Polysorbate, a safe additive found in everything from ice cream to cosmetics, has been proven to slow the toxic effects of E. coli poisoning.

4 Nov 2016

Researchers engineer new weapon to destroy antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Over the past few decades, many bacteria have become resistant to existing antibiotics, and few new drugs have emerged.

2 Nov 2016

Self-healing slippery surface coatings for medical devices could help thwart infection

Implanted medical devices like catheters, surgical mesh and dialysis systems are ideal surfaces on which bacteria can colonize and form hard-to-kill sheets called biofilms.

1 Nov 2016

Safe food additive can slow toxic effects of E. coli poisoning

Polysorbate, a safe additive found in everything from ice cream to cosmetics, has been proven to slow the toxic effects of E. coli poisoning.

1 Nov 2016

Novel nanofiber coating shows potential to prevent bacterial infections of orthopaedic prostheses

In a proof-of-concept study with mice, scientists at The Johns Hopkins University show that a novel coating they made with antibiotic-releasing nanofibers has the potential to better prevent at least some serious bacterial infections related to total joint replacement surgery.

24 Oct 2016

Novel Legionella bacteria named by Clemson undergraduates

The Clemson family has gained a new namesake: Legionella clemsonensis, a novel strain of the Legionella bacteria, the most common cause of waterborne bacterial outbreaks in the United States.

21 Oct 2016

New portable adhesive patch drives small electrical current to promote wound healing

Good news for the millions of people who suffer from skin wounds that won't heal. A team of researchers at The Ohio State University has brought a potentially transformative solution to the problem by creating a portable adhesive patch that drives a continuous, small electrical current to stimulate healing and reduce the risk of infection.

30 Sep 2016

Study shows increasing healthcare costs for infections linked to premise plumbing pathogens

A new analysis of 100 million Medicare records from U.S. adults aged 65 and older reveals rising healthcare costs for infections associated with opportunistic premise plumbing pathogens--disease-causing bacteria, such as Legionella--which can live inside drinking water distribution systems, including household and hospital water pipes.

12 Sep 2016

Scientists use insect model to reveal therapeutic potential of C. difficile bacteriophages

University of Leicester scientists have previously identified the potential of using a bacteriophage cocktail to eradicate Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) and in this research, using an insect model, they show that their prophylactic use can prevent infection forming in the first place.

12 Sep 2016

Fungal communities in chronic wounds can be linked to poor outcomes and slow healing

Researchers in Pennsylvania and Iowa have discovered that fungal communities found in chronic wounds can form mixed bacterial-fungal biofilms and can be associated with poor outcomes and longer healing times.

6 Sep 2016

Penn researchers use iron-containing nanoparticles to reduce plaque and prevent tooth decay

The bacteria that live in dental plaque and contribute to tooth decay often resist traditional antimicrobial treatment, as they can "hide" within a sticky biofilm matrix, a glue-like polymer scaffold.

26 Jul 2016

Novel therapeutic approach may be effective for disrupting bacterial biofilms

Biofilms are communities of bacteria that adhere to a surface and are nearly impossible to eradicate when they are pathogenic, or disease-causing.

30 Jun 2016

New method helps speed up bacterial identification

Pinpointing the type of bacteria that are at the root of an infection in clinical samples removed from living tissues, such as blood, urine or joint fluids, to quickly identify the best anti-microbial therapy still poses a formidable challenge.

10 Jun 2016

Cigarette smoke promotes bacteria colonization, immune invasion

The mouth is one of the "dirtiest" parts of the body, home to millions of germs. But puffing cigarettes can increase the likelihood that certain bacteria like Porphyromonas gingivalis will not only set up camp but will build a fortified city in the mouth and fight against the immune system.

1 Jun 2016

Natural product darwinolide may help combat fatal MRSA infection

A serious and sometimes fatal bacterial infection, known as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), may soon be beatable thanks to the efforts of University of South Florida scientists who have isolated and tested an extract from a sponge found in Antarctica.

19 May 2016

New catheter infection alert system could help tackle life-threatening urinary infections

A new infection alert system in catheters could prevent serious infections in millions of hospital patients worldwide. The system, detailed in a new paper in Biosensors and Bioelectronics, changes the color of the urine so patients and carers can see easily if bacteria are starting to block the catheter.

25 Apr 2016

New clinical data highlights potential of AB-PA01 to treat P. aeruginosa infections in CF patients

AmpliPhi Biosciences Corporation, a global leader in the development of bacteriophage-based antibacterial therapies to treat drug-resistant infections, presented data at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases summarizing both the in vitro and in vivo activity of its proprietary, investigational phage mix AB-PA01.

13 Apr 2016

SymCel joins global initiative to combat antibiotic resistance

Following the global and joint initiative by the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and diagnostics industries this year to combat antibiotic resistance, demand for innovative solutions is especially high. The event took place in January at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

5 Apr 2016