'Spiky' Paint Kills Bacteria, Viruses

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Spiky surface 'kills infections'

The coating inactivated the influenza virus

Adding a special " spiky " coating to surfaces can kill bacteria and

viruses, research suggests.

US scientists found painting on spike-like structures kept the

surfaces infection-free.

The spikes, they believe, rupture bacteria and virus particles on

contact, inactivating them.

The team, writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of

Sciences, suggest their findings could help to fight the spread of

diseases.

The researchers painted glass with long chains of molecules, called

polymers, which anchored to the surface to form tentacle-like

spikes.

When the team then applied the surfaces with E. coli and

Staphylococcus aureus (both common disease-causing forms of

bacteria) and the influenza virus, they found the coating killed

them with 100% efficiency within minutes.

The scientists said they believed the tethered spikes were

inactivating the particles by rupturing their surfaces.

The team, based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,

Cambridge, said many diseases were spread by particles that settle

on surfaces and are subsequently touched by others.

Longevity?

They said the spread of infection could be prevented if common

things encountered by people are coated with paints that inactivated

the disease particles.

" In terms of virucidal and bactericidal efficiencies, painting with

[this polymer] seems optimal.

" Given the simplicity of the coating procedure, it should be

applicable to various common materials, thereby enabling them to

interrupt the spread of both viral and bacterial infections. "

Professor Ian , a microbiologist from Reading University,

said: " This is an interesting paper, from the point of view that it

is a new and simple approach to fighting infection that seems to be

effective against both bacteria and viruses. "

However, he said he was less convinced the spikes were piercing the

particles and thought another, more chemical, mechanism could be at

play.

" The other thing that is important to find out is the longevity of

the effect. If a toilet door handle, for example, is coated with

this material, would it last for days, hours, weeks? It would be

vital to know how often it needs to be applied. "