Common hospital superbug found to digest plastic; may cause infections: Study

A common but dangerous hospital superbug has been found capable of digesting plastic used in medical devices posing a significant threat to patient safety globally including in IndiaThe bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa is responsible for up to 30 per cent of hospitalacquired infections a new study has foundResearchers at Brunel University London have discovered that P aeruginosa a multidrugresistant pathogen can break down polycaprolactone PCL a plastic commonly used in sutures implants and other medical equipmentThe study published in the journal Cell Reports raises serious concerns about infection control in healthcare settings It found that the bacterium can not only degrade PCL but also use it as a sole carbon source to fuel its growth a capability previously thought impossible with hospitalgrade polymersAt the core of this process is a newly identified enzyme called Pap1 which researchers isolated from a patientderived strain of P aeruginosa In laboratory experiments Pap1 degraded 78 per cent of a PCL sample within seven daysAccording to the researchers the degradation of plastic not only aids the bacterias survival but also enhances its ability to form resilient biofilms slimy protective layers that shield pathogens from antibiotics and immune responsesThese biofilms are a major reason why P aeruginosa infections are difficult to treat and tend to recurWhile the study did not specifically name India other studies suggest that P aeruginosa accounts for between 10 and 30 per cent of hospitalacquired infections in the countryIt causes a wide range of illnesses including infections of the urinary tract lungs burns and bloodstreamAccording to the Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology the prevalence of P aeruginosa in India and its resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics both intrinsic and acquired make it particularly difficult to treatAs antibiotic resistance is increasing drastically among P aeruginosa which is a threat to public health monitoring these bacterial populations is necessary to formulate the antibiotic treatment policy the journal notedResearchers said what makes the findings more alarming is the possibility that other commonly used medical plastics including polyethylene terephthalate and polyurethane found in catheters stents bone scaffolds and implants may also be susceptible to microbial degradationGenetic indicators of similar enzymes have been found in other pathogenic bacteria suggesting that the ability to digest plastic might not be unique to P aeruginosaProfessor Ronan McCarthy who led the study said the findings call for an urgent reassessment of how pathogens persist in hospital environmentsHe emphasised the need to reevaluate cleaning and disinfection protocols and suggested the development of medicalgrade plastics that are more resistant to microbial digestionHe also recommended screening for plasticdegrading enzymes particularly in cases of unexplained or prolonged hospital outbreaksThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoeveratOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params