1. The importance of fungal pathogens and antifungal coatings in medical device infections
- Author
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Hans J. Griesser, Carla Giles, Stephanie J. Lamont-Friedrich, Bryan R. Coad, Thomas D. Michl, Giles, Carla, Lamont-Friedrich, Stephanie J, Michl, Thomas D, Griesser, Hans J, and Coad, Bryan R
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Antifungal ,Antifungal Agents ,Prosthesis-Related Infections ,Medical device ,medicine.drug_class ,030106 microbiology ,Bioengineering ,yeast ,Biology ,Polymicrobial biofilms ,antimicrobial surface ,Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology ,medical devices ,Microbiology ,Mice ,03 medical and health sciences ,Coated Materials, Biocompatible ,medicine ,Animals ,Humans ,mycoses ,mold ,Fungi ,Biofilm ,Fungal disease ,030104 developmental biology ,Mycoses ,Catheter-Related Infections ,candida ,Antimicrobial surface ,fungal disease ,surface modification ,Biotechnology - Abstract
In recent years, increasing evidence has been collated on the contributions of fungal species, particularly Candida, to medical device infections. Fungal species can form biofilms by themselves or by participating in polymicrobial biofilms with bacteria. Thus, there is a clear need for effective preventative measures, such as thin coatings that can be applied onto medical devices to stop the attachment, proliferation, and formation of device-associated biofilms. However, fungi being eukaryotes, the challenge is greater than for bacterial infections because antifungal agents are often toxic towards eukaryotic ho st cells. Whilst there is extensive literature on antibacterial coatings, a far lesser body of literature exists on surfaces or coatings that prevent attachment and biofilm formation on medical devices by fungal pathogens. Here we review strategies for the design and fabrication of medical devices with antifungal surfaces. We also survey the microbiology literature on fundamental mechanisms by which fungi attach and spread on natural and synthetic surfaces. Research in this field requires close collaboration between biomaterials scientists, microbiologists and clinicians; we consider progress in the molecular understanding of fungal recognition of, and attachment to, suitable surfaces, and of ensuing metabolic changes, to be essential for designing rational approaches towards effective antifungal coatings, rather than empirical trial of coatings. Refereed/Peer-reviewed
- Published
- 2018