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Bioelectric effect and bacterial biofilms. A systematic review.

J L Del Pozo¹, M S Rouse, R Patel

¹Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota and Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota - USA.

The International Journal of Artificial Organs

|October 17, 2008

Summary

The bioelectric effect uses electric current to boost antimicrobial effectiveness against resilient biofilm bacteria. This approach could offer a novel, non-invasive treatment for device-related infections, avoiding costly surgeries.

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Area of Science:

Microbiology
Biomedical Engineering
Infectious Diseases

Background:

Bacteria in biofilms are highly resistant to antibiotics, causing persistent human infections.
Biofilm resistance can be 500 to 5,000 times greater than planktonic bacteria.
Current treatments for device-related infections often require invasive surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the scientific literature on the bioelectric effect.
To explore the potential of using electric current to enhance antimicrobial activity against biofilms.
To assess the feasibility of applying the bioelectric effect in human medical treatments.

Main Methods:

Literature review of studies investigating the bioelectric effect.
Analysis of in vitro experiments demonstrating enhanced antimicrobial activity with electric current.
Examination of existing clinical applications of direct electrical current.

Main Results:

Electric current has demonstrated an ability to enhance antimicrobial efficacy against biofilm bacteria in vitro.
The bioelectric effect is a recognized phenomenon in antimicrobial research.
Direct electrical current is already safely used in humans for bone fracture healing.

Conclusions:

The bioelectric effect presents a promising strategy for combating antibiotic-resistant biofilm infections.
Application of direct electric current with antimicrobial chemotherapy could potentially eliminate the need for surgical intervention in device-related infections.
Further research and clinical trials are warranted to validate the therapeutic potential of the bioelectric effect in humans.