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Low-Temperature Gas Plasma Combined with Antibiotics for the Reduction of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
1Center for Plasma Biomedicine, State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China.
Abstract:
Biofilm infections in wounds seriously delay the healing process, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of wound infections. In addition to inactivating micro-organisms, low-temperature gas plasma can restore the sensitivity of pathogenic microbes to antibiotics. However, the combined treatment has not been applied to infectious diseases. In this study, low-temperature gas plasma treatment promoted the effects of different antibiotics on the reduction of S. aureus biofilms in vitro. Low-temperature gas plasma combined with rifampicin also effectively reduced the S. aureus cells in biofilms in the murine wound infection model. The blood and histochemical analysis demonstrated the biosafety of the combined treatment. Our findings demonstrated that low-temperature gas plasma combined with antibiotics is a promising therapeutic strategy for wound infections.
Insights
Low-temperature gas plasma combined with antibiotics effectively reduces Staphylococcus aureus biofilms in wound infections. This novel approach enhances antibiotic efficacy and demonstrates biosafety, offering a promising new therapy for challenging wound infections.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Biofilm infections, particularly those caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), significantly impede wound healing.
- Low-temperature gas plasma (LTGP) exhibits antimicrobial properties and can re-sensitize microbes to antibiotics.
- The combined application of LTGP and antibiotics for infectious diseases remains largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the synergistic effects of LTGP treatment with various antibiotics on reducing Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) biofilms in vitro.
- To evaluate the efficacy and biosafety of a combined LTGP and antibiotic (rifampicin) treatment in a murine wound infection model.
- To establish LTGP-antibiotic combination therapy as a viable strategy for treating S. aureus wound infections.
Main Methods:
- In vitro assessment of LTGP's effect on S. aureus biofilms in combination with different antibiotics.
- In vivo study using a murine wound infection model treated with LTGP and rifampicin.
- Blood and histochemical analyses to determine the biosafety profile of the combined treatment.
Main Results:
- LTGP treatment significantly enhanced the efficacy of various antibiotics in reducing S. aureus biofilms in vitro.
- The combination of LTGP and rifampicin demonstrated significant reduction of S. aureus cells within biofilms in the murine wound model.
- Biosafety was confirmed through blood and histochemical analyses, indicating no adverse effects from the combined treatment.
Conclusions:
- Low-temperature gas plasma combined with antibiotics is a potent strategy for combating S. aureus biofilms.
- This combined therapy shows promise for treating chronic and antibiotic-resistant wound infections.
- The demonstrated biosafety supports further clinical investigation of LTGP-antibiotic combination treatments for wound infections.
