Research Partners
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the second most common hospital-acquired infection in the UK, with 50% of those infections occurring in those who are catheterised. UTIs can lead to serious and sometime life-threatening renal complications, including pyelonephritis and urosepsis. End-stage chronic kidney disease requires hemodialysis, and hemodialysis patients with a catheter have a 2-3 fold increased risk of hospitalisation and death as compared to those with an arteriovenous fistula or graft. Thus, there is a pressing need to identify strategies to reduce the likelihood of catheter-associated infections. Preventing bacterial colonisation of catheter materials is one such strategy.
With the support of funding from Kidney Research North West, we have developed a set of sulfur polymers, produced by a process known as inverse vulcanisation, that have potent antibacterial properties. We have produced these polymers as formulations that can be coated onto silicone urinary catheters and have also developed a method where we can mix the polymer in with molten silicone to produce a composite material that retains the strength and flexibility of typical silicone catheters, but with the added benefit of antimicrobial activity. We have shown that coated catheters are less susceptible to bacterial colonisation than conventional catheters. In the final stages of the project, we are focused on demonstrating the safety of these materials and aim to show that they can prevent establishment of infection in a laboratory ‘bladder model’ that simulates urinary flow. We are in the process of seeking industrial partners in the catheter production sector to enable us to further develop the technology.
This current research project started in 2023.