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Photo: CC0 / Public Domain
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Dutch and Chinese scientists have been able to develop a smart nanoparticle that is able to find a route to an infection in the body and to kill the bacteria.
Such nanoparticles could eventually become an important means in the fight against antibiotic-resistant infections, says UMCG professor of biomaterial-related biofilms and infections Henny van der Mei.
The developed nanoparticle manages to penetrate to the core of the infection. The particle then also ensures that bacteria are spread throughout the body, so that they can be better killed by immune cells and existing antibiotics. ‘As far as we can tell, this is the first smart nanoparticle to have both of these functions,’ says UMCG professor Henny Van der Mei.
‘Scattered bacteria can be more easily removed from the bloodstream by immune cells than if they live close together in an infection site,’ says Van der Mei. ‘And when the bacteria are spread throughout the body, it increases the effectiveness of existing antibiotics.’
Problem is underestimated
Infections caused by bacteria can be controlled with antibiotics, which kill the bacteria or inhibit growth. However, a bacterium can become resistant to the antibiotic if it is used often. Antibiotics no longer help these resistant bacteria. According to Van der Mei, the danger of this is often underestimated.
‘If we do not act, antibiotic-resistant infections risk becoming the leading cause of death worldwide by the year 2050. That is why it is important to be careful with the use of antibiotics and to find new ways to fight bacterial infections, ‘says Van der Mei.
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