https://newatlas.com/medical/titanium-spikes-effective-drug-free-kill-antibiotic-resistant-superbugs/ * SUBSCRIBE AD-FREE * LOG IN * HOME * LIFESTYLE + Health & Wellbeing + Outdoors + Tiny Houses + Architecture + Around the Home + Good Thinking + Holiday Destinations + View all LIFESTYLE categories + Health & Wellbeing + Outdoors + Tiny Houses + Architecture + Around the Home + Good Thinking + Holiday Destinations + View all LIFESTYLE categories * SCIENCE + Energy + Medical + Space + Materials + Biology + Environment + Physics + View all SCIENCE categories + Energy + Medical + Space + Materials + Biology + Environment + Physics + View all SCIENCE categories * TECHNOLOGY + Photography + Military + Mobile Technology + Games + Drones + Home Entertainment + Deals + View all TECHNOLOGY categories + Photography + Military + Mobile Technology + Games + Drones + Home Entertainment + Deals + View all TECHNOLOGY categories * TRANSPORT + Automotive + Aircraft + Bicycles + Motorcycles + Marine + Urban Transport + View all TRANSPORT categories + Automotive + Aircraft + Bicycles + Motorcycles + Marine + Urban Transport + View all TRANSPORT categories (c) 2023 New Atlas New Atlas logo Menu * HOME * LIFESTYLE + Health & Wellbeing + Outdoors + Tiny Houses + Architecture + Around the Home + Good Thinking + Holiday Destinations + View all LIFESTYLE categories * SCIENCE + Energy + Medical + Space + Materials + Biology + Environment + Physics + View all SCIENCE categories * TECHNOLOGY + Photography + Military + Mobile Technology + Games + Drones + Home Entertainment + Deals + View all TECHNOLOGY categories * TRANSPORT + Automotive + Aircraft + Bicycles + Motorcycles + Marine + Urban Transport + View all TRANSPORT categories * SUBSCRIBE AD-FREE * LOG IN Show Search [ ]Search Query Submit Search Medical Titanium spikes kill superbugs drug-free by literally ripping them apart By Paul McClure August 30, 2023 * Facebook * Twitter * Flipboard * LinkedIn Inline image / # Titanium spikes kill superbugs drug-free by literally ripping them apart Researchers have found that micro-spikes etched into titanium rupture microbes, such as this Candida cell (magnified 25,000 times) Researchers have found that micro-spikes etched into titanium rupture microbes, such as this Candida cell (magnified 25,000 times) RMIT University View 3 Images 1/3 Researchers have found that micro-spikes etched into titanium rupture microbes, such as this Candida cell (magnified 25,000 times) RMIT University 2/3 An intact Candida cell on polished titanium surface (left), and a ruptured Candida cell on the micro-spiked titanium surface (right) RMIT University 3/3 The nanopillars on the surface of a dragonfly wing (magnified 20,000 times) RMIT University [icon-mouse-sc] View gallery - 3 images Inspired by the bacteria-killing structures seen on the wings of some insects, researchers have developed a drug-free way to kill off drug-resistant microbes that commonly cause hospital-acquired infections. Their technique is a novel and effective way of tackling the problem of antibiotic-resistant superbugs. Surgery can lead to infection, and, with the rise in drug-resistant microbes, providing effective treatment is becoming mor difficult. While bacteria are usually the main infection-causing culprits, drug-resistant species of Candida, a type of fungus, are also proving problematic. Not only can they effectively colonize and form biofilms on implanted materials, leading to hospital-acquired infections, but they also lead to poor clinical outcomes. When they're inserting things like titanium hips or dental prostheses, doctors use a range of antimicrobial coatings, chemicals and antibiotics to prevent infection from developing. But these measures won't be as effective, or effective at all, if the microbe in question has developed resistance. But, researchers from RMIT University have come up with a novel, drug-free way to kill superbugs that's inspired by the antimicrobial surface on the wings of some insects. Insects such as dragonflies, cicadas, and damselflies have tiny pillars - nanopillars - on the surface of their wings that act as a "mechano-biocidal," physically pulling apart bacterial cells and killing them. The nanopillars on the surface of a dragonfly wing (magnified 20,000 times) RMIT University "It's like stretching a latex glove," said Elena Ivanova, corresponding author of the study. "As it slowly stretches, the weakest point in the latex will become thinner and eventually tear." So, the researchers set about creating their own mechano-biocidal, developing a titanium surface covered with specially designed microscale spikes, each about the size of a bacteria cell, using a technique called plasma etching. They tested the effectiveness of the surface in killing multi-drug-resistant Candida and found that about half the cells were destroyed soon after making contact with the spikes. Significantly, the other half - the cells that were not immediately destroyed - were injured enough that they were unable to reproduce or cause infection. "The Candida cells that were injured underwent extensive metabolic stress, preventing the process where they reproduce to create a deadly fungal biofilm, even after seven days," said Denver Linklater, one of the study's co-authors. "They were unable to be revived in a non-stress environment and eventually shut down in a process known as apoptosis, or programmed cell death." An intact Candida cell on polished titanium surface (left), and a ruptured Candida cell on the micro-spiked titanium surface (right) RMIT University The micropillared titanium surface had already been found to be effective against two common pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus ('Golden Staph') and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria, in a previous study published in the journal Materialia. "The fact that cells died after initial contact with the surface - some by being ruptured and others by programmed cell death soon after - suggests that resistance to these surfaces will not be developed," Ivanovna said. "This is a significant finding and also suggests that the way we measure the effectiveness of antimicrobial surfaces may need to be rethought." The researchers say the relatively simple plasma etching technique they used to create the spikes could be applied across a wide range of materials and applications. "This new surface modification technique could have potential applications in medical devices but could also be easily tweaked for dental applications or for other materials like stainless steel benches used in food preparation and agriculture," said Ivanovna. The study was published in the journal Advanced Materials Interfaces. Source: RMIT University View gallery - 3 images Tags MedicalMicrobesAntibiotic-resistant bacteriaTitaniumRMIT University * Facebook * Twitter * Flipboard * LinkedIn 3 comments Paul McClure Paul McClure Before realizing his writing passion, Paul worked as an intensive care nurse and a criminal defense lawyer for many years. He has a keen interest in mental health and addiction, chronic illness, and medical technology. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and creative writing in 2022, Paul joined New Atlas in 2023. Before starting with New Atlas, Paul had written for several online publications in the areas of health and well-being, parenting, entertainment, and popular culture. Most Viewed * New research has found that antioxidants can stimulate the growth of blood vessels in cancer tumors Medical Antioxidants such as vitamin C found to spur cancer growth & metastasis * Thule reveals a different style of vehicle-mounted tent ahead of a Spring 2024 launch Outdoors Thule Outset detachable hitch tent drops rooftop car camping to ground * The US DoD is hoping its Replicator initiative, to mass-manufacture autonomous weapons systems across all domains, will counter China's superior manpower if or when it decides to invade Taiwan Military US military plans to thwart China with 1,000s of autonomous war drones Load More 3 comments Sign in to post a comment. Please keep comments to less than 150 words. No abusive material or spam will be published. michael_dowling August 30, 2023 08:17 AM Mother Nature is the solution yet again! rgbatduke August 30, 2023 10:05 AM Yeah, but what effect does the roughened surface have on (say) tendon, muscle, opposing titanium surfaces inside a joint? Does it do to human cells trying to heal in contact with it what it does to bacteria? Does it increase the friction to the point where it will grind down the joint at several times the rate expected? Lots of unanswered questions between being able to impale bacteria on a spiky surface and being able to use a spiky surface in precisely those contexts where infection is a problem... Trylon September 1, 2023 04:53 AM @rgbatduke, seems guys like you just look for things to complain about. These spikes are in the range of bacteria size. That makes them about as rough as many unpolished metal surfaces in your home. Are you grinding yourself down by touching those surfaces? Saving comment... 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