Evaluation of Novel Antimicrobial Peptides as Topical Anti-Infectives with Broad Spectrum Activity Against Combat-Related Bacterial and Fungal Wound Infections
Abstract
Ballistic wound infection has become the greatest threat to the life and recovery of the combat casualty who survives the immediate trauma of the insult. Multidrug resistance and generation of recalcitrant biofilm are major obstacles in treating wounds. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), also known as host defense peptides, are evolutionarily highly conserved components of the innate immune system that provide the first line of defense against invading pathogens in all multicellular organisms. Designed antimicrobial peptides (dAMPs) are synthesized peptides that have been rationally designed based on sequences found in naturally occurring AMPs. dAMPs are amphipathic cationic peptides with the ability to kill microbes by disrupting their membrane function. This mode of action rapidly kills antibiotic resistant microbes, even in biofilm. Bacteria have never succeeded in developing resistance to a variety of AMPs.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1045046
Entities
People
- Louis E. Clemens