Salmonella enterica poses a significant global public health risk due to its ability to cause serious disease and form biofilms that protect the bacteria and facilitate their spread. These infections are difficult to treat and cost nearly $4 billion annually in the U.S. alone. Biofilm formation begins with the attachment of bacteria to a surface, commonly inert surfaces like medical or food preparation devices. The growing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, combined with the ineffectiveness of systemic antibiotics after biofilm formation, highlights the urgent need for strategies to prevent initial bacterial attachment. Utilizing an innovative flow-through channel to investigate adhesion as a function of surface chemistry, it was found that hydrophobic surfaces were the most effective at reducing S. enterica attachment. Surfaces were also derivatized with P22, a bacteriophage for S. enterica. These surfaces captured the most bacteria, but it was also found that the phage were still active following attachment and therefore bactericidal. The ultimate outcome of this work will be the fabrication of surfaces that inhibit S. enterica biofilm formation, with applications in healthcare and food safety. The technology also suggests a method to improve the sensitivity of bacterial detection.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Hoey, Lindsay

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-042924-123528
• 122009

Advisor

• Lambert, Christopher R.

Year

• 2024

Date created

• 2024-04-29

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Biochemistry

Source

• E-project-042924-123528

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Last modified

• 2024-05-20