Source: The Tribune
A new study has found that the dangerous hospital superbug Pseudomonas aeruginosa can digest medical-grade plastic—specifically polycaprolactone (PCL), a material used in sutures, stents, implants, and wound dressings.
Key Points:
The bacteria use PCL as their only carbon source, allowing them to survive in sterile environments.
A new enzyme, Pap1, was identified as responsible for breaking down the plastic, degrading up to 78% of a PCL sample in 7 days.
This process promotes the formation of biofilms, which shield bacteria from antibiotics and immune responses.
The findings challenge assumptions that synthetic medical materials are impervious to bacterial degradation.
There is growing concern over the integrity and safety of medical implants and devices in hospital settings.
This discovery urges further research into safer materials and ways to prevent infections in patients with implants.
Research:
https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(25)00421-8
https://www.brunel.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/articles/%27Superbug%27-found-to-digest-medical-plastic
