An easy-to-use antimicrobial hydrogel effectively kills bacteria, fungi, and influenza virus

Various drug resistant pathogens such as bacteria, fungi and viruses enter a host through different routes, which can lead to health-related problems and even fatalities. Propagation of these infectious microbes majorly occurs through the mucosal openings or upon topical contact. To curb their transmission or to cure infections associated with these pathogens, herein we describe the development of an antimicrobial hydrogel, based on a water soluble quaternary lipophilic polyethyleneimine derivative (QPEINH-C6). The cationic polymer QPEINH-C6 exhibited antibacterial activity against drug-resistant Gram-positive bacteria (MIC = 10-62 μg mL-1) and Gram-negative bacteria (MIC = 117-123 μg mL-1). The derivative showed killing of human pathogenic fungi (MIC = 58-67 μg mL-1), including their clinical isolates. The rapid bactericidal and fungicidal nature were confirmed from the fast inactivation kinetics of bacterial cells (methic illin resistant S. aureus and vancomycin resistant S. aureus) within 3-6 hours and C. albicans within 1 h with ∼5-6 log reduction in the microbial burden. This antibacterial and antifungal cationic polymer was then used to construct an antimicrobial shear-thinning hydrogel (Bacfuvir), through non- covalent crosslinking with biocompatible gellan and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). This hydrogel displayed ∼5-7 log reduction of numerous multidrug-resistant bacteria and their stationary phase cells which are insusceptible to conventional antibiotics. In additi...
Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH) - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news