Guest guest Posted July 30, 2003 Report Share Posted July 30, 2003 > 5. In The News - Honey Holds Key to Killing Off Superbug > > > > By Robert Matthews, Science Correspondent > More can be found at telegraph.co.uk > > British scientists have turned to an old folk remedy to treat > MRSA, the antibiotic-resistant superbug rampant in British > hospitals. > > Researchers at Insense, a biotechnology company near Bedford, > have extracted the key medical properties of honey and applied > them to a dressing that promises to revolutionise the treatment > of wounds. > > Independent analysis by a team at the Centre for Biomedical > Sciences at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, has > confirmed that the dressing - known as Zymagel - is highly > successful at killing bacteria in a wound and preventing further > infection. The polymer also mimics the moisturising properties > of honey, allowing it to stay on for days. > > The product could save hundreds of lives and sharply reduce the > soaring cost of hospital-acquired infections - MRSA kills an > estimated 5,000 patients a year in Britain. > > According to the National Audit Office, a further 100,000 may be > infected, costing the NHS £1 billion a year. Britain has the > highest rate of MRSA in Europe. In a study last year, 46 per cent of > samples collected in British hospitals contained the superbug. > > This compared with 38 per cent in Greece, 20 per cent in Belgium > and just three per cent in Sweden and Denmark. > > The greatest source of spread in hospitals is doctors and nurses > who fail to wash their hands after treating patients. The risk of infection > is increased in Britain because of the common practice of moving patients > from bed to bed. > > The new dressing consists of a top layer impregnated with glucose, which > diffuses into a special polymer sheet placed in contact with the wound. > Enzymes similar to those in honey convert the glucose into hydrogen > peroxide, which kills any bacteria. > > Professor Paul Davis, who led the research and development > programme at Insense, said that tests comparing the new dressing > with conventional treatment will begin later this year, and the > product could be available in hospitals within two years. > > The ability of honey to destroy bacteria and speed healing has > long been recognised in traditional medicine, with Aristotle > recommending its use " as a salve for sore eyes and wounds " . > > For more information on MRSA, please see this week's Keating > Perspective: > http://www.finalwarningthebook.com/perspective.shtml > > > Want more news? Visit our Daily News section! > http://www.finalwarningthebook.com/news.shtml > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.