A Nanosized Weapon Against Drug-Resistant Bacteria

Bacteriophages that deliver nanoparticles kill bacteria more effectively than either component does separately 

Scientists from the University of California, Los Angeles, published findings showing that when bacteriophages are used in conjunction with silver nanoparticles, a lethal weapon is created against drug-resistant bacteria. 

The study, published in Langmuir, comes at a time when public health authorities are grappling with a serious rise in bacterial infections resistant to many, and in some cases, all antibiotics. 

To make the silver nanoparticles, researchers reduced silver ions to neutral, metallic silver so they could form clusters. They then synthesized the nanoparticles using the phages. Because silver can be toxic to cells, the researchers decided to lower the dose of the nanoparticles by administering them in conjunction with the phages. It worked. Not only were the nanoparticles synthesized and scaffolded onto the phages 30% more effective at killing bacteria than the silver nanoparticles alone, but the reduced amount of silver nanoparticle material also caused less toxicity in human cells.

To read more about this exciting research development, check out the story in The Scientist.