Novel Antiseptic Wipes to Fight Nosocomial Pathogens that Contaminate on Human Skin and Mucosa

In this blog, we hear from DOROTHY MSCA COFUND awardee Dr Aysin Dural Erem on her research that will address nosocomial (hospital associated) infections by developing antiseptic wipes with antimicrobial activity to clean nosocomial pathogens on the human skin and mucosa.

Contaminated human skin and mucosa are one of the most common transmission routes for pathogens and the most challenging for disinfection. Annually over 4 million patients acquire a nosocomial infection in Europe. Furthermore, overuse of antibiotics in their treatments has been triggering antibiotic resistance that globally causes more than 1 million deaths each year. However, efficient strategies against nosocomial infections are still the main challenge.

The research aim of Aysin’s project is to develop novel antiseptic wipes that combine antimicrobial activity with pathogen capturing, which can be used safely on the skin. To achieve this, nanofiber (NF) and microfiber membranes will be created and coated with specialized hydrogels. These coated wipes will be designed to capture pathogens upon contact and trap them within the wipes, where antimicrobial peptides can effectively kill pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus.

The novel wipes will go further than the state of the art in the field of efficient sanitizing and pathogen-capturing technologies. Antiseptic wipes with efficient pathogen capturing may be a new strategy for cleaning and keeping human skin and mucosa clean from nosocomial pathogens. Thus, skin sanitising approach that will be beneficial in tackling nosocomial infections and global antibacterial resistance will be possible.

The project is a ground-breaking interdisciplinary endeavour that seamlessly integrates material science—particularly nanotechnology—textiles focusing on fibrous materials, chemistry with an emphasis on peptides, and microbiology, specifically the inactivation and inhibition of microorganisms. This unique combination holds the potential to yield innovative results, driving advancement and discovery. It aligns closely with the objectives of the DOROTHY fellowship, which aims to promote collaborative and cross-sector research efforts to effectively address public health challenges.

Aysin is supported by her mentors Associate Prof Nan Zhang of University College Dublin (Ireland) and Dr Pascal Thebault of University of Rouen Normandy (France). Two seminars were held in January 2025 at the University of Rouen Normandy where Aysin presented the research objectives and proposed methodology.

You can follow her on LinkedIn, X (@aysinduralerem), and ResearchGate.