Tiny Quantum Dots May Spell Doom For Deadly Superbug Infections

Previous research on nanoparticles showed that those made of metals like gold and silver can be harmful to healthy tissue as well as the target bacteria, according to a written statement released by the university. 

But that kind of collateral damage doesn’t seem to be a problem with the new quantum dots.

Made of semiconducting materials like cadmium telluride instead of metal, they can be tailored to specific infections, slipping inside the disease-causing germs and, when activated by light, triggering chemical reactions that destroy them.

“We don’t use any special light, and a typical weak light source (a lamp, well-lighted room, sunlight, etc.) is enough to activate these quantum dots,” Nagpal said in the email.

Nagpal foresees several applications for quantum dots, depending on the nature of the infection. Infected cuts might simply be covered with nanoparticle-impregnated bandages. Patients with systemic infections might receive injections of quantum dots.

In addition, hospital rooms and medical instruments might be treated with a dot-containing disinfectant in order to reduce the risk of spreading infections from patient to patient.

But more research, including clinical trials, will be needed to develop quantum dot therapy and prove its safety and effectiveness in humans. Nagpal said he was seeking funding from federal agencies or private donors to make that happen.

Once tested, there is a chance that bacteria might adapt to the therapy. But even so, Nagpal said, it should be easy to then tune nanoparticles to “keep up in this evolutionary race” between bacteria and measures to eradicate them.

A paper describing the research was published online on Monday in the journal Nature Materials.

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