Latest research on materials that prevent fungal attachment published
Although bacterial infections often gain the most attention, fungal infections are also a major healthcare problem, killing more than 1.5 million people each year. Fungi also destroys enough crops to feed 600 million people annually. Fungal infections require a surface for attachment. Therefore, we decided to find a material with a surface that prevents fungal attachment as it would be useful in both healthcare and agricultural settings.
In this study we assessed the ability of hundreds of different polymers for preventing fungal attachment (Candida albicans, a human pathogen, and Botrytis cinerea, a crop pathogen). From nearly 300 different materials, we found a few polymers that were successful. We used one to create a voice prothesis component and a spray that could be applied to leaves. In both cases the polymers were able to achieve up to 100% reduction in fungal attachment compared to commercial materials. These new anti-fungal materials are exciting candidates to reduce fungal infections on medical devices and improve food security by preventing fungal infections on crops.
The full article can be read in the journal Science Advances.
Discovery of (meth)acrylate polymers that resist colonization by fungi associated with pathogenesis and biodeterioration
Cindy Vallieres, Andrew L. Hook, Yinfeng He, Valentina Cuzzucoli Crucitti, Grazziela Figueredo, Catheryn R. Davies, Laurence Burroughs, David A. Winkler, Ricky D. Wildman, Derek J. Irvine, Morgan R. Alexander, and Simon V. Avery
Science Advances, 2020; 6 (23): eaba6574
Posted on Monday 16th November 2020