A common hospital bacterium can actually eat the plastic used in medical devices like sutures and implants, according to new research. This unexpected finding has doctors and hospitals rethinking infection control and device safety. Scientists at Brunel University London discovered that Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a dangerous hospital-acquired infection, produces an enzyme called Pap1 that breaks down polycaprolactone (PCL) – a plastic frequently used in sutures, wound dressings, stents, and surgical mesh. “It means we need to reconsider how pathogens exist in the hospital environment,” said Professor Ronan McCarthy, who led the study published in Cell Reports. “Plastics, including plastic surfaces, could … Continue reading Hospital Superbug Eats Medical Plastic: 78% Destroyed in 7 Days, Raising Patient Safety Concerns