RESEARCHERS from the University of York have taken a step towards better understanding infections in medical implant patients.

Bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, the ‘superbug’ behind MRSA, can be a major problem for patients who have an implant, such as a replacement heart valve or pacemaker.

The bacteria form colonies on the implanted device, which can lead to wider infections such as endocarditis, a bacterial infection of the heart, and the team of scientists from the university’s department of biology has shed new light on how these “biofilm” structures are formed, and could help prevent the need for removal of infected devices.

The team, led by Professor Jennifer Potts, included British Heart Foundation-funded PhD student Dominika Gruszka, and found the bacteria release long, thin protein chains with a highly unusual repetitive structure which connect with other bacteria.

Prof Potts said: “This discovery provides an important step forward in understanding how biofilms form. It should help in the development of new ways of preventing infection of cardiac devices by these bacteria.”

Dr Hélène Wilson, research advisor at the British Heart Foundation, which co-funded the study, said: “These clusters of bacteria on implanted devices can be a problem for heart patients because they are very difficult to treat.

“This discovery is an important step towards improving our understanding of how these biofilms are structured, which could help lead to new treatments or new ways to prevent them forming.”