Page 363 - AWSAR 2.0

Nano-Army and the Bacterial Downfall
|| 339
Mr. Jithin Vishnu*
Email: jithinvshnu@gmail.com
Even in the twenty-first century, humankind is still fighting against bacterial infections (A: Is the usage correct as we are
talking of many types of infections)! Antony Leeuwenhoek first saw bacteria in the year 1670 and Alexander Fleming discovered the first antibiotic in 1928, yet microscopic bacteria hold the superpower to persist as a threat to humankind. In spite of the fact that several innovations and technologies are multiplying in the field of implant healthcare, it is still unable to find its way through the path paled by the dark shades of bacterial infections.
There is a long history of usage of implant material by humankind, which can be traced to the Mayan civilization using dental implants during AD 600. Currently, global implant market is well-developed with material
ranging from metals, polymers, ceramics and other naturally derived materials for implant applications. However, the clinical success of implants has been hampered by bacterial infections, a major threat affecting millions of people worldwide.
Once an implant material is placed inside human body, the infection can occur leading to bacterial colonization. Bacterial infection is a serious threat hampering the success of implants and reducing their longevity. This obviates the need for revision surgery, which is painful as well as highly expensive. In India, post-surgical implant site infections are proving to be considerably hazardous in terms of morbidity, health complications and financial burden for common people, therefore, proper preventive measures need to be identified.
* Mr. Jithin Vishnu, PhD Scholar from Vellore Institute of Technology, Tamil Nadu, is pursuing his research on “Surface Modification of Titanium Alloys for Biomedical Applications”. His popular science story entitled “Nano-Army and the Bacterial Downfall” has been selected for AWSAR Award.