Nanoengineers at the University of California, San Diego, have developed a potential treatment for skin and wound infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
The treatment is a gel that is filled with toxin-absorbing nanosponges, which are nanoparticles that absorb dangerous toxins produced by MRSA as well as E. coli and other antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The nanosponges absorb the toxins into a hydrogel made out of water and polymers.
The team — which was led by UCSD Jacobs School of Engineering professor Liangfang Zhang, PhD — found the nanosponge-hydrogel minimized the growth of skin lesions on mice infected with MRSA by absorbing the toxins, and did so without the use of antibiotics.
"One way to treat these infections is to remove the toxins, which act as a weapon and a defense shield for the bacteria that produce them," said Dr. Zhang. "We hypothesize that without the toxins, the bacteria would become significantly weakened and exposed, allowing the body's immune system to kill them more easily without the use of drugs."
Since the nanosponge-hydrogel doesn't use antibiotics, the treatment may also prevent the development of antibiotic resistance.
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