Fungal infection with Candida of dentures is a common complication. The adhesion of microorganisms such as Candida is influenced by material properties such as surface charge, hydrophobicity and roughness. The formation of oral biofilms is associated with caries, periodontitis or denture stomatitis. It is therefore important to prevent the formation of biofilms, also because antifungal agents are of little help.
The polymer polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is widely used for denture fabrication due to its biocompatibility, but it is susceptible to biofilm formation. Therefore, research into strategies to endow dentures with antifungal properties is important.

Listeriosis is a foodborne infectious disease caused by the pathogen Listeria monocytogenes and is particularly serious for pregnant women and immunocompromised persons. The pathogen is spread mainly through spoiled and contaminated food or animal feed. Methods for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes (LM) on surfaces in the food industry have been developed to control the spread of the pathogen, but these are time-consuming and require special equipment. In the presented study, a fluorescence sandwich immunoassay was developed using a chitosan cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) membrane to detect Listeria monocytogenes on surfaces.

Dental erosion is the demineralization of the hard tooth substance caused by acids. Particularly in industrialized countries this is an increasing problem due to changes in drinking and eating habits in recent decades. Additionally, the teeth surface is eroded by mechanical interaction like brushing. To substantially reharden demineralized enamel, the development of appropriate prophylaxis and therapy is important. HMC presents two studies that tested toothpaste and mouth rinses containing chitosan.

Glaucoma is a group of diseases of the eye with damaged optic nerve and retina in advanced stages, possibly leading to blindness. One of the causes is increased intraocular pressure. Here, we present two publications, which investigated the combination of chitosan and curcumin for treatment of glaucoma and cancer patients.