Viral beads to beat MRSA?

April 5th 2005

A hospital saturated in viruses is the latest bizarre proposal from scientists to combat the MRSA superbug.

Researchers propose to cover nylon strips, beads and hospital stitching thread with anti-MRSA viruses.

The breakthrough comes because British scientists have discovered how to stick anti-bacterial viruses to nylon products.

The researchers from Strathclyde University, Scotland, say they have discovered a virus, known as a bacteriophage, which can combat most major strains of MRSA.

Their technique immobilises the virus on nylon strips - prolonging its life. The virus cannot be injected into humans because the immune system destroys it rapidly.

The research, reported to the conference of the Society for Microbiology in Edinburgh, Scotland, has shown that the viruses stay active for two weeks.

Researcher Dr Janice Spencer said: "By immobilising this bacteriophage onto nylon we can prolong its life and usefulness, in different temperature and humidity conditions. Normally it gets targeted by our immune system and cleared away if injected into people, and also dies quickly in dry conditions.

"The nylon can be in different forms including strips, sutures and beads."

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