Does disinfection go hand in hand with treatment?
At first glance, the answer to this question seems to be “yes.” However, considering the increase in disinfectant consumption and the high frequency of mycobacterial infections, it is crucial to research the potential interactions between disinfectants, medications, and infectious agents.
Dr Joanna Hołówka, who was awarded a prestigious “Marie Skłodowska-Curie” post-doctoral fellowship in February, is set to conduct research on these interactions and, consequently, develop new disinfection and treatment strategies.
The aim of this project is to investigate the interactions of disinfectants containing quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) with mycobacteria, as well as to evaluate the impact of phenotypic heterogeneity in Mycobacterium as a response to these mechanisms. The use of fluorescently labeled analogs of benzalkonium chloride (BAC), NBD-DDA, will facilitate the first real-time analysis of the accumulation of this compound in bacterial cells and its direct effect on cellular function. The results will enhance our understanding of the mechanisms of tolerance and resistance to disinfectants, as well as evaluate the risk of cross-resistance to antituberculous drugs. Given the increasing use of disinfectants and the high incidence of mycobacterial infections, this research offers significant practical applications, potentially laying the groundwork for developing more effective disinfection and treatment strategies.
The results of the project will shed some light on the mechanisms responsible for mycobacteria building resistance to disinfectants, and help to understand the basics of potential cross-resistance to disinfectants and antituberculous antibiotics.
The project is realized as part of the Horizon Europe program, the main European Union program for research and innovation funding for 2021-2027. The project will begin on June 1, 2025, in the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung – BAM) in Berlin.
Currently, dr Joanna Hołówka is employed at an Opus NCN project (as a postdoc) led by prof. dr hab. Jolanta Zakrzewska-Czerwińska (Department of Molecular Microbiology of the Faculty of Biotechnology).
Written by: kg
Date of publication: 7.04.2025
Added by: M.J.
Translated by Marta Kawik (student of English Studies at the University of Wrocław) as part of the translation practice.
