Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
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CHAPTER 14
Antimicrobial Interfaces
SABEEL P. VALAPPIL
Department of Health Services Research and School of Dentistry,
University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
Email: S.Valappil@liv.ac.uk
14.1 Introduction
The importance of understanding antimicrobial interfaces, where the anti-
microbial agents interact with their target has increased dramatically in
recent years. This is partly fuelled by the need for new antimicrobial agents
because of the rise in antibiotic resistance among bacteria. Antimicrobial
resistance can be defined as the ability of microorganisms that cause disease
to resist actions of antimicrobial agents. The World Health Organization has
acknowledged antimicrobial resistance as one of the three greatest threats to
human health. Some of the recent figures show shocking numbers of people
affected with antibiotic resistant bacteria; for example, such as carbapenem-
resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CREs) can cause bladder, lung and blood in-
fections that can potentially result in septic shock which endanger life. CREs
evade the action of most of the antibiotics and they kill up to 50% of all
patients who become infected with them.
1
Another antibiotic resistant or-
ganism, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), is responsible
for 100 000 infections annually in the United States alone with a mortality
rate of almost 20%.
2
Currently, in certain parts of the world, previously
potent drugs against tuberculosis have now become almost ineffective. This
is a frightening development as multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tubercu-
losis affects over 500 000 individuals worldwide.
2
A study from the United
Kingdom forecast
.
that antibiotic ine
ciency may result
in routine
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