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A
broad spectrum biocide to combat nosocomial infections
Each
year in the US, approximately 10% of all patients
acquire a nosocomial infection. These hospital-acquired
infections cost billions annually and result in tens of
thousands of deaths. Many factors contribute to these
statistics, including the rise of antibiotic-resistant
pathogens. These pathogens present a particular danger
to hospital patients with weakened immune systems,
causing infections that can manifest as infected burns,
deep abscesses or surgical wound infections that often
prove fatal or lead to extended stays in-hospital and,
thus, to a greater burden on health care systems. To
reduce the incidence of nosocomial infections, it is
vital to identify efficacious broad-spectrum biocides.
In
the 1970's, several pharmaceutical companies invested in
the study of iodonium compounds (also known as iodanes)
for use as broad-spectrum biocides. Dow Chemical, for
example, identified one family of iodanes that were
highly effective against a variety of bacteria, yeasts
and fungi, while exhibiting low toxicity to mammals.
Unfortunately, interest faded because the traditional
synthetic process was very expensive, involved the
handling of dangerous reactants, and generated explosive
byproducts. These obstacles have now been overcome by
the advent of a new electrochemical process developed by
our collaborators, Dr. Steve Cornell and his colleagues
at IRU LLC. This breakthrough has led us to re-examine
the efficacy and toxicity of iodanes.
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