Sweden finds a way to prevent 100% of infections in hospitals

By integrating graphene nanoparticles into plastic medical device surfaces, Swedish scientists were able to prevent infections by killing 99.99% of bacteria adhering to these surfaces, helping to prevent effective infections and overcome hospital infections after transplantation of medical devices.

According to Eurek Alert , scientists at Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden) have developed graphene nanoparticles integrated into medical plastic surfaces that can prevent infection by killing 99.99% of bacteria. cling to these surfaces. This is an inexpensive and effective way to deal with infections and overcome hospital infections after transplanting medical devices. Reportedly, bacteria from biological fluids like blood can live on implanted devices. Once on an appropriate surface such as an implant, the bacteria begin to multiply and form a stable biofilm.

Graphene nanoparticles integrated into plastic medical surfaces can prevent infection - (Photo: Chalmers University of Technology)

Previous studies by scientists have shown that vertical graphene fragments placed on the surface of an implant can form a protective coating with sharp spines. Bacteria cannot attach to it. Graphene fragments destroy cell membranes, destroying bacteria. However, producing graphene flakes is very expensive. New technology significantly reduces costs.

Swedish scientists have achieved a similar effect using only cheap graphite nanomaterials with a polymer. Nanoparticles prevent the growth of infection, while not damaging healthy human cells, even though those cells are about 25 times larger than bacteria. But here, the main role belongs to the precise orientation and distribution of graphite nanoparticles. They must be very precisely arranged to achieve maximum efficiency.

According to the statistics of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), more than 4 million people in Europe are affected each year by infections during health care. Many of these are bacterial infections that grow around medical devices and implants, such as catheters, prosthetic limbs and knee joints or dental implants. In the worst case, the implant needs to be removed.

Infection with bacteria like this can cause pain for patients and increase health care costs, time and money. In addition, large amounts of antibiotics are currently being used to treat and prevent such infections, cost more and accelerate the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

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