New Nanomaterial Developed to Kill Drug Resistant Bacteria

Nanotechnology has once again proved its worth in the medical field. Researchers had recently developed a solution that can be rubbed on the skin to remove all bacteria’s that cannot be killed by the existing antibiotics and drugs. More advanced studies have led to the discovery of a microbial agent that can be directly injected into the body to kill the strong bacteria’s.

The basic semiconductor manufacturing principle was used to manufacture such an agent. The research team included people from the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology and IBM.

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The product developed has special physical features like magnets. They get attracted to the bacteria’s like Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) and are not attracted to the healthy cells inside the body. Thus the bad microbes can be easily sorted out and destroyed.

Bacteria’s like MSRA and its types are very common in crowded places like schools, offices, hospitals and so on. They are very difficult to be traced out and cannot be permanently destroyed with the help of the usual antibiotics and lotions. In order to destroy them high intake of antibiotics will be needed. But this will bring unwanted reactions onto the patient. Reports have proved that almost a million people die every year due to MSRA bacteria infection.

The greatest feature of the nanomaterial is that it can break into the cell membrane and directly destroy the bacteria.

According to Doctor James Hedrick, an Advanced Organic Materials Scientist at IBM in Almaden, the number of bacteria in the palm of a human hand is more than the total human population. Through this invention, the “search of a lifetime” for the accurate drug delivery mechanism has come to its end.

If the research turns out to be successful (that is after testing for body reactions to the agent), there will be a future when this material can be mixed with lotions, soaps and deodorants and also in injections. They could also prove to be worthy in healing internal wounds and lung infections.