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Thin Films for Antimicrobial Applications
Published in Fredrick Madaraka Mwema, Tien-Chien Jen, Lin Zhu, Thin Film Coatings, 2022
Fredrick Madaraka Mwema, Tien-Chien Jen, Lin Zhu
As described above, disease-causing microbes pose a serious challenge to the society today, and in recent years, the medical field has faced a challenge in managing infectious diseases [4]. In particular, microbial infections are of great concern according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centre for Disease Control (CDC). The microbial infections are quick to spread and difficult to control, and besides other effects, these pathogenic microbes will also affect the safety of medical equipment and devices, surgical equipment, implants, and grafts [5]. Mitigating the effect of these microbial infections and controlling them has become challenging due to increased resistance by the microbes towards the antimicrobial materials and also resistance to multiple drugs. The phenomenon whereby microorganisms possess or innately have resistance to antimicrobial materials and drugs is referred to as antimicrobial resistance. As such, the solution to microbial infections and pathogens requires a multifaceted approach involving the medical sector, biomedical engineers, and material scientists, among other experts. In particular, the development of materials that can resist the survival, mutual interaction, reproduction, and development of disease-causing microbes is of interest in the modern world.
Introduction: Assessing Nanotechnology Health and Environmental Risks
Published in Jo Anne Shatkin, Nanotechnology, 2017
Triclosan, commonly found in antimicrobial soaps and cleaning products, is among many consumer-use chemicals found in rivers and drinking water sources. Some populations of bacteria routinely exposed to substances designed to eradicate them (e.g., pesticides and medical antibiotics) are now found in the environment and have become resistant to antibiotics used in agriculture and to treat human diseases. Antimicrobial resistance is a big problem because bacteria are no longer susceptible to the treatments developed to kill them, and outbreaks can occur that cannot be managed. Currently, a number of hospitals are battling antibiotic-resistant staphylococcal infections (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA]) in patients. More questions arise: If a nanomaterial is used in an antimicrobial treatment, can it cause antimicrobial resistance in the environment? What other unintended effects could a substance that is released in water cause?
Water Systems (Drinking Water Quality)
Published in Herman Koren, Best Practices for Environmental Health, 2017
Although the topic of agricultural waste has been discussed earlier in other chapters and referred to in this chapter, it needs further discussion here. The potential problems created by this type of disposal are significant and can have a profound effect on the raw water which is going to be used at the water treatment plant as its source of supply. Since the 1950s until current times, the production of livestock and poultry, especially in concentrated areas, has increased by 80% and with it has created an extremely large problem of disposal of fecal material and bedding. It is estimated that the 2.2 billion head of livestock and poultry produced about 1.1 billion tons of manure in 2007. The livestock and poultry not only create a massive nutrient problem but also produce large numbers of microorganisms which can cause disease in people. These organisms include Escherichia coli 0157:H7, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia lamblia, and numerous viruses including rotaviruses. There has also been an extremely large increase in antimicrobial use, which in turn can result in antimicrobial resistance in animals and people. Hormones are produced naturally and are also given to the livestock and poultry to improve meat quality, promote animal growth, and increase milk production. These hormones and their byproducts may be found in their fecal material in very large quantities.
Microbial quality and emerging pollutants in freshwater systems of Mega Manila, Philippines: a scoping review
Published in Urban Water Journal, 2023
Arizaldo E. Castro, Marie Christine M. Obusan
Antimicrobial resistance is a global concern that is severely impacting economies and human health, e.g. increased duration of hospital stays, higher costs of disease management, increased mortality rates from infections, etc. Although an increasing number of countries are adopting priority action points against AMR, much remains to be done to understand and address the burden of infections caused by the emergence of drug-resistant microbes. Critical in combating AMR is the information on how genetic elements related to drug resistance are distributed in different environmental matrices- soil, water, and air (Larsson and Flach 2021). Aquatic systems such as natural resources, surface water reservoirs, and water supply distribution systems, are gradually recognized as ideal settings for the emergence and intensification of AMR in connection with human activities (Figure 3). These systems act as a sink to antimicrobials, biocides, and other emerging pollutants, promoting diversification and evolution of mechanisms that confer AMR to microbes (Taylor, Verner-Jeffreys, and Baker-Austin 2011).
Occurrence of clinically relevant antimicrobial resistance genes, including mcr-3 and mcr-7.1, in soil and water from a recreation club
Published in International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 2022
João Pedro Rueda Furlan, Lucas David Rodrigues Dos Santos, Micaela Santana Ramos, Inara Fernanda Lage Gallo, Jéssica Aparecida Silva Moretto, Eliana Guedes Stehling
In this study, several ARGs that confer resistance to critically important antimicrobials for human medicine were detected in environmental samples, including mcr-like genes and β-lactamase-encoding genes. In addition, a high abundance of the mcr-3 gene was detected in the water samples. Antimicrobial resistance is a natural phenomenon; however, some factors contribute to the spread of ARGs to different spheres (D’Costa et al. 2011). In the environment, urban and hospital wastewater and the use of manure as a substrate contribute significantly to this phenomenon (Berendonk et al. 2015). Accordingly, the understanding of antimicrobial resistance, carry out surveillance studies and the correct use of antimicrobials may contribute to tackle antimicrobial resistance (WHO 2015).
A review on ‘sulfonamides’: their chemistry and pharmacological potentials for designing therapeutic drugs in medical science
Published in Journal of Coordination Chemistry, 2023
Wardha Zafar, Sajjad Hussain Sumrra, Abrar Ul Hassan, Zahid Hussain Chohan
Research targeting the discovery of new antimicrobial drug candidates, specifically the chemical scaffolds having antibacterial properties, exemplifies prominent factors in the search of new drug designs [1, 2]. The evolution of pathogenic microbes has exceeded search to discover new active chemical frameworks for drugs [3] because antimicrobial resistance has caused a continually growing threat to animals, mankind, and environmental health [4]. A major reason for the emergence of antimicrobial resistance is the misuse and/or overuse of already available drugs [5], accentuated by the lack and/or inaccessibility of new drugs that have the capability to overcome this issue [6, 7].