Testing the efficacy of novel silver compounds for the eradication of multi species biofilms

细菌通常以被称为生物膜的表面附着群落的形式生长，一旦形成，就会受到保护，免受环境压力的影响。在人类感染的背景下，这意味着生物膜对免疫系统和抗生素都更具抵抗力。此外，生物被膜被认为是急性和慢性感染之间的纽带。该项目进一步建立在卡尔加里大学生物膜研究小组(BRG)和Exciton Technologies Inc.(ETI)之间的合作基础上--评估不同银制剂预防或根除生物膜细菌的能力。ETI生产的伤口护理产品含有高度氧化的银物种，与其他产品中的银物种相比，这些银物种对细菌具有更强的活性和更有效的抗菌能力。到目前为止，我们已经证实，ETI的伤口护理产品比其他银化合物具有更大的能力来消除由单一细菌物种组成的生物膜。下一个合乎逻辑的步骤是测试ETI的专利伤口护理产品是否有由多种细菌组成的生物膜--它们在环境中的存在方式。这种学术和行业的合作将进一步加深我们目前对银与生物膜形成细菌相互作用的理解。这一团队倡议的成果将导致生产有效、低成本的生物被膜根除技术。此外，这项工作将支持并增加知识，以了解金属物种与细菌作为替代抗菌策略的相互作用。

Bacteria often grow as a surface attached community referred to as a biofilm, which once formed, is protected from environmental stress. In the context of a human infection, this means a biofilm is more resistant to both the immune system and antibiotics. Additionally, biofilms are proposed to be the link between acute and chronic infection. This project further builds on a collaboration between the Biofilm Research Group (BRG) at the University of Calgary and Exciton Technologies Inc. (ETI) - evaluating the capacity of different silver formulations to prevent or eradicate biofilm bacteria. ETI produces a wound care product with highly oxidized silver species that are more reactive and effective against bacteria than silver species found in other products. To date we've established that ETI's wound care products have a greater capacity than other silver compounds to abolish biofilms composed of a single bacterial species. The next logical step is to test ETI's patented wound care products against biofilms composed of multiple bacterial species - the way they exist in the environment. This academic-industry collaboration will further our current understanding of silver interactions with biofilm forming bacteria. The product of this team initiative will lead to the manufacture of effective, low-cost technologies for biofilm eradication. Furthermore, this work will support and add knowledge towards understanding the interaction of metal species with bacteria as alternate antimicrobial strategies.