Three bacteria from the ESKAPE group: Staphylococcus aureus (yellow), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (short thick blue rods) and Escherichia coli (long blue rods). Image Credit: © UNIGE |
While crucial to biotechnology, bacteria can also cause severe disease, exacerbated by their increasing resistance to antibiotics. This duality between economic benefits and infectious risks underlines the importance of finding ways to control their development. A team at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) is currently developing a new generation of bactericidal alloys, with a wide range of industrial applications. They could be used to treat the contact surfaces responsible for their transmission. The project, which is supported by Innosuisse, will take 18 months to complete.
Resistance to antimicrobial drugs - such as antibiotics and antivirals - is a global public health issue. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is currently responsible for 700,000 deaths a year worldwide. If no action is taken, the number of deaths will rise to 10 million a year by 2050, with dramatic consequences for public health and the economy.
To promote and guide research in this field, the WHO has published a list of pathogens that should be targeted as a matter of priority, because they are particularly threatening to human health. The list includes Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli bacteria, which are associated with the most common hospital-acquired infections, as well as salmonella. Contaminated contact surfaces (utensils, handles, stair railings) play a fundamental role in their transmission.