Natalie Page, Gregory Caputo, Jeffrey Hettinger, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ
The development of resistant bacteria continues to be a serious threat within healthcare facilities and is emerging as a threat within communities. Liberal application of antibiotics for an extended period is the primary reason for the continued proliferation of resistant bacteria. Alternatives to antibiotic treatments to prevent and cure that do not lead to more resistant bacteria are needed. In this presentation, we discuss data supporting the efficacy of antimicrobial elements including copper and silver. Some coatings, possibly used for orthopedic and catheter applications, elute antimicrobial ions naturally due to the coating solubility in biological environments. Others elute ions “on-demand” while improving charge exchange for implantable electrochemical devices. The synthesis and the important characteristics of coatings for these two broad ranges of application will be discussed.