Dangerous hospital ‘superbug’ found to digest medical plastic
A dangerous hospital “superbug” has been found to digest plastic, specifically the kind used in some sutures, wound dressings, stents and implants inside the human body, raising new questions over device safety and hospital infections.
Microbiologists at the UK’s Brunel University of London have shown the bacteria can “feed” on plastic to survive, potentially enabling these pathogens to persist longer in hospital wards – and within patients.
For the full story, see the June 2025 edition of Medical Textiles.
Photo: Brunel University of London