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CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY

Implants to defeat bacterial infection

Nature Reviews Microbiology volume 20, page 64 (2022)Cite this article

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Bacterial infections of medical implants are common, difficult to treat and can have serious consequences, including removal of the implant. One strategy to combat implant infections is modifying the implant surface to deter or kill bacteria; however, this antibacterial activity has to be balanced against the need for the surface to promote integration into host tissue. Fu, Zhu, Liu et al. present a metallic implant that they coated with hydroxyapatite and MoS2. When bacteria contact this coating, electrons are transferred from the coating to the bacteria. This process leads to a switch of aerobic respiration to anaerobic respiration and production of reactive oxygen species. The authors show that the coating has antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Finally, the coating also promoted differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into osteoblasts, which should promote bone integration.

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  1. Nature Reviews Microbiology http://www.nature.com/nrmicro/

    Ursula Hofer

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  1. Ursula Hofer
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Correspondence to Ursula Hofer.

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Hofer, U. Implants to defeat bacterial infection. Nat Rev Microbiol 20, 64 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-021-00675-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-021-00675-9

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