New Nanoscale System Developed to Treat Ear Infections in Children
Key Highlights :
Back-to-school season is a busy time of year for parents and children alike. Along with buying pens and paper and figuring out the new bus route, parents must also be aware of the potential for their child to develop an ear infection. Doctors typically treat these infections with antibiotics, but children don't always complete the full course, accelerating resistance to these medications. To address this issue, researchers have developed a single-use nanoscale system that is unlikely to generate resistance.
Using a compound similar to bleach, the researchers tested the system in animals and found that it could kill off one type of bacterium that causes ear infections. The system could eventually be applied as a gel, making it easier to use and less invasive than current treatments. The researchers will present their results at the fall meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS).
The nanoscale system was inspired by the active ingredient in household bleach. Even though bleach has been used since the 19th century, bacteria have not yet developed any widespread resistance to this cleaner. The solution sold at stores is highly concentrated and caustic, but when used in a properly controlled manner at extremely low concentrations, the active ingredient in bleach is considered compatible with living tissue.
The researchers designed nanowires made of vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) that mimic an enzyme from giant kelp. This enzyme converts hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to hypobromous acid (HOBr), a chemical relative of bleach. A frequent cause of ear infections, the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae produces H2O2 to fight off other microbes.
In tests on chinchillas, which contract ear infections from the same pathogens as human children, the nanowires succeeded in eliminating most of the S. pneumoniae. The researchers also found that after treatment with the nanowires, the animals' once-inflamed eardrums returned to normal. Tests in healthy animals found evidence that the treatment did not interfere with hearing.
The researchers developed a less invasive, more practical method for delivering the nanowires. By decorating the nanowires with peptides known to transport small particles across the eardrum, they found they could deliver the treatment topically as a gel deposited into the ear canal.
The researchers are currently examining whether this system is effective in the presence of other bacteria that cause ear infections, and how they might adapt it to fight the other bugs. They are also exploring other approaches for passing the nanowires through the eardrum.
The nanoscale system developed by the researchers could help to prevent recurrent ear infections in children, as well as reducing the development of antibiotic resistance. If further studies prove successful, this system could provide a safe, effective, and non-invasive alternative to antibiotics for treating ear infections.
