Infections that originate in hospitals are often attributable to multidrug-resistant pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
These so-called superbugs linger on surfaces even after cleanings with very strong disinfecting solutions. When treating MRSA patients, doctors tend to overprescribe antibiotics, which the organisms can build resistance to.
In addition, MRSA infection prolongs hospital stays and may result in death. In the U.S., the 90-day mortality rate for MRSA infections is 21%. At McMaster Univ. in Canada, biomedical engineers have developed a plastic material that repels virtually everything that comes into contact with it, including bacteria.
It is a chemically modified form of commercial plastic cling wrap, and it can be applied to surfaces such as counters, doorknobs, and IV stands in hospitals...
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