🔬 Could Plastic-Eating Superbugs Be Lurking in Hospitals? 🏥
Plastic pollution is a global crisis—but what if some of nature’s tiniest organisms are making it worse inside hospitals?
New research reveals that deadly pathogens like Pseudomonas aeruginosa—a bacteria linked to 559,000+ deaths/year—can break down and feed on plastic using an enzyme called Pap1. Even worse? These microbes use degraded plastic to build stronger, antibiotic-resistant biofilms—turning medical devices into their food source.
🩺 Why this matters:
Plastics are everywhere in healthcare (implants, catheters, wound dressings).
If pathogens eat them, treatments could fail or infections worsen.
P. aeruginosa thrives in hospitals—could plastic degradation explain its persistence?
💡 The silver lining? Scientists are already developing antimicrobial plastics to outsmart these superbugs. But this discovery forces us to rethink: Are we building future medical devices with hidden risks?
#PlasticPollution #Superbugs #HospitalInfections #MedicalResearch #AntimicrobialResistance #ScienceNews #HealthcareInnovation #Sustainability #PseudomonasAeruginosa #Biofilms
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