The Symposium “Antimicrobial coatings in healthcare settings: efficiency versus safety”
Infections and infectious diseases are considered a major challenge to human health in healthcare units worldwide. As antimicrobial materials (such as silver and copper) are inherently toxic, the application of (nano-enabled) antimicrobial surface coatings (AMCs) in healthcare settings may cause harm in addition to benefits. Indeed, in parallel to cutting down the spread of potentially infectious microbes, AMCs may induce (eco) toxicological hazard and antimicrobial resistance.
This session will cover briefly all these aspects: potential of AMCs in the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance (A. Ivask), introduction of the adverse environmental effects (A. Kahru), the need for balancing the efficiency and safety of AMCs by ‘safe-by-design’ (I. Vinković Vrček), aspects of industrial up-scaling of safe AMCs (P. Mantecca) and importance of internationally coordinated research and networks (F. Crijns).
The session was suggested by Estonian Society of Toxicology and the speakers cooperate in the COST Action AMiCI (AntiMicrobial Coating Innovations, CA15114), supported by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST). More information on this COST network is available in the joint paper of the authors: http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/4/366.
More about thise Symposium –> http://www.ctdc10.rs/symposia/
This Symposium will be chaired by Anne Kahru will be held within the program of the 10th Congress of Toxicology in Developing Countries and 12th Serbian Congress of Toxicology to be held in April 2018, 18-21, Belgrade, Serbia.
More about the 10th Congress of Toxicology in Developing Countries –> http://www.ctdc10.rs/programme/
