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Hospitals are designed specifically to be places where people can come to treat illnesses or get treatment for injuries and leave healthier than when they came in. Unfortunately, the fact that sick people tend to come to hospitals means that there are also many different types of viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens that find their way into the environment, which can put patients (and health care workers) at serious risk.
This is why hospitals go to great lengths to keep things clean and germ free to the extent possible, but that is like fighting an impossible battle. One example of this is the bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is a drug-resistant pathogen that causes as many as 559,000 deaths per year around the world.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention say that this bacteria can cause serious illnesses including urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and more. People in hospitals often have already weakened immune systems, making them especially vulnerable to this (and other) pathogen.
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According to a new study that was published in the journal Cell, this particular bacteria may be more dangerous than previously believed (and it has long been considered a very serious health hazard). This is because it has now been shown to be able to digest plastic, including the medical plastic that is found almost everywhere in hospitals.
The team working on the study analyzed a strain of this bacteria that was taken directly from a patient’s wound where it was swabbed out. They found that it was able to survive for longer on polycaprolactone, which is a plastic used in medical instruments including stints, sutures, surgical mesh, and much more. This material is even used in drug-delivery patches and many types of implants, meaning it would survive on these items that are placed directly on or in the patients.
While the bacteria is certainly found in environments outside of hospitals, the prevalence of the plastics here means that medical facilities make an ideal home for them. Ronan McCarthy is the study leader, and he said in a Brunel University press release:
“Plastics, including plastic surfaces, could potentially be food for these bacteria. Pathogens with this ability could survive for longer in the hospital environment.”
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This study sheds light on the fact that even hospitals where things are kept properly clean are at risk of this and other bacteria living and spreading, which puts everyone at risk. The team working on the study hopes that it will help medical facilities to step up their vigilance when it comes to sterilization and working to keep the bacteria at bay. This is especially important with this particular pathogen because it is known to be drug-resistant, so if a patient gets infected, it can be very difficult to treat.
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