Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 15, 2025

Quadruple-Checkerboard: A Modification of the Three-Dimensional Checkerboard for Studying Drug Combinations
11:15

Quadruple-Checkerboard: A Modification of the Three-Dimensional Checkerboard for Studying Drug Combinations

Published on: July 24, 2021

4.7K

Antimicrobial Resistance: Is There a 'Light' at the End of the Tunnel?

Leon G Leanse1,2, Sanjay Marasini3, Carolina Dos Anjos2

  • 1Health and Sports Sciences Hub, University of Gibraltar, Europa Point Campus, Gibraltar GX11 1AA, Gibraltar.

Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
|September 28, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global threat. Light-based therapies like antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) show promise in combating drug-resistant infections with minimal resistance development.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Photomedicine

Background:

  • Rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a critical global health threat, exacerbated by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs).
  • The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the challenge of MDRO infections, straining healthcare systems worldwide.
  • Light-based therapeutic approaches have a long history of investigation for treating both cancer and infectious diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the diverse mechanisms underlying antimicrobial resistance (AMR), encompassing intrinsic, phenotypic, and acquired resistance.
  • To review various light-based therapeutic modalities, including antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT), antimicrobial blue light (aBL), and ultraviolet (UV) light.
  • To assess the clinical feasibility and integration requirements for light-based therapies as alternatives or adjuncts to conventional antimicrobials.

Main Methods:

  • Comprehensive literature review of antimicrobial resistance mechanisms.
  • Analysis of existing research on light-based therapies (aPDT, aBL, UV light) for antimicrobial applications.
  • Evaluation of clinical translation challenges and requirements for light-based interventions.

Main Results:

  • Light-based approaches demonstrate effective pathogen killing irrespective of AMR status.
  • These therapies are associated with a low propensity for resistance development compared to conventional antibiotics.
  • Various light-based methods offer potential as standalone or complementary treatments against resistant microbes.

Conclusions:

  • Light-based therapies represent a promising strategy to combat the escalating crisis of antimicrobial resistance.
  • Further research and clinical evaluation are necessary to facilitate the integration of aPDT, aBL, and UV light into standard medical practice.
  • These modalities offer a viable path to overcome infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs).
Keywords:
acquired resistanceantimicrobial blue lightantimicrobial resistanceintrinsic resistancephenotypic resistancephotodynamic therapyphototherapyultraviolet light

More Related Videos

Antimicrobial Synergy Testing by the Inkjet Printer-assisted Automated Checkerboard Array and the Manual Time-kill Method12:03

Antimicrobial Synergy Testing by the Inkjet Printer-assisted Automated Checkerboard Array and the Manual Time-kill Method

Published on: April 18, 2019

26.3K
Antimicrobial Characterization of Advanced Materials for Bioengineering Applications08:08

Antimicrobial Characterization of Advanced Materials for Bioengineering Applications

Published on: August 4, 2018

22.1K

Related Concept Videos

Development of Antibiotic Resistance01:30

Development of Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern that arises when bacteria evolve mechanisms to withstand the effects of antibiotic treatments. This resistance can be intrinsic, acquired through genetic mutations, or transferred between bacteria via horizontal gene transfer. The development of antibiotic resistance poses significant challenges in treating bacterial infections and necessitates ongoing research to develop new therapeutic strategies.Intrinsic resistance occurs when bacterial...
33
Antibiotic Selection00:57

Antibiotic Selection

Overview
54.6K
Biological Methods for Microbial Control01:28

Biological Methods for Microbial Control

Biological agents offer an effective means of controlling microbial growth by leveraging natural processes like predation, competition, and the secretion of antimicrobial substances.Predatory bacteria such as Bdellovibrio species target and kill pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli. They are widely used in poultry farms to control infections. Myxococcus species help combat plant-pathogenic fungi. These naturally occurring predators serve as eco-friendly alternatives to chemical pesticides and...
55
Antimicrobial Effectiveness01:28

Antimicrobial Effectiveness

The effectiveness of antimicrobial agents depends on various factors influencing their ability to eliminate microbial populations. Larger microbial populations require more time for complete eradication, emphasizing the importance of population size analysis when evaluating antimicrobial efficacy.Microbial resistance to antimicrobial agents varies significantly. Highly resilient microorganisms include endospores, gram-negative bacteria, and non-enveloped viruses, while prions are exceptionally...
37
Antimicrobial Proteins01:23

Antimicrobial Proteins

Antimicrobial proteins are important components of the immune system. They aid the body in combating pathogens by either killing them directly or hindering their replication processes. Four main types of antimicrobial substances are interferons, the complement system, iron-binding proteins, and antimicrobial proteins.
Interferons
Interferons (IFNs) are proteins produced by lymphocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts infected with viruses. While IFNs cannot prevent viruses from entering and...
1.0K
Combined Effects of Drugs: Synergism01:27

Combined Effects of Drugs: Synergism

Synergism is a useful mechanism where combining two or more drugs is more effective than each constituent used alone. Such combinations are also called supra-additive interactions. The drugs collectively enhance the final therapeutic effect by acting on different targets. Another advantage is that the low dose of each constituent drug is sufficient to achieve the desired effect. This helps reduce the duration of therapy and lower the adverse effects of these drugs.
Such synergistic combinations...
4.0K