Journal Article

Cold Plasmas for Biofilm Control: Opportunities and Challenges

Flynn, Padrig B., Freeman, Theresa, Bourke, Paula, Gilmore, Brendan F., O’Brien, Séamus, Hickok, Noreen

2018

نظرة عامة

Bacterial biofilm infections account for a major proportion of chronic and medical device associated infections in humans, yet our ability to control them is compromised by their inherent tolerance to antimicrobial agents. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) represents a promising therapeutic option. CAP treatment of microbial biofilms represents the convergence of two complex phenomena: the production of a chemically diverse mixture of reactive species and intermediates, and their interaction with a heterogeneous 3D interface created by the biofilm extracellular polymeric matrix. Therefore, understanding these interactions and physiological responses to CAP exposure are central to effective management of infectious biofilms. We review the unique opportunities and challenges for translating CAP to the management of biofilms. Biofilms are implicated in around 65% of all chronic human infections, including those associated with indwelling medical devices such as catheters and prostheses. Biofilm infections are often asymptomatic between exacerbations and challenging to detect and effectively treat using conventional antibiotics and antimicrobial agents. CAP provides an effective multimodal, multitarget approach for controlling microbial biofilms. Biofilms express a complex extracellular matrix of polymeric substances that may attenuate the antimicrobial efficacy of CAP via interactions with CAP-generated RONS. Biofilm tolerance to CAP is variable between species and between strains of the same species, which may be due to production of EPS, RONS-detoxifying enzymes, or acquired tolerance to physiological RONS during chronic infections.

• الناشر: Elsevier Ltd,Elsevier Limited
• موضوع: Anti-Bacterial Agents - chemistry / Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology / anti-infective agents / Antibiotics / Antimicrobial agents / Bacteria / Bacteria - chemistry / Bacteria - drug effects / Bacteria - growth & development / Bacteria - metabolism / Bacterial Infections - microbiology / Bacterial Infections - therapy / biofilm / Biofilms / Cold / Cold plasmas / Cold tolerance / DNA, Bacterial - chemistry / DNA, Bacterial - metabolism / Drug resistance / Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Extracellular Polymeric Substance Matrix - chemistry / Extracellular Polymeric Substance Matrix - drug effects / Extracellular Polymeric Substance Matrix - metabolism / Humans / Infections / Intermediates / Internal Medicine / Lipids - chemistry / Medical devices / Medical electronics / Medical equipment / Medicine / Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Microorganisms / Nitrates / physiological response / Physiological responses / Plasma / Plasma Gases - chemistry / Plasma Gases - pharmacology / Plasmas (physics) / polymers / Polysaccharides, Bacterial - chemistry / Polysaccharides, Bacterial - metabolism / Quorum Sensing - drug effects / Reactive Nitrogen Species - agonists / Reactive Nitrogen Species - metabolism / Reactive Oxygen Species - agonists / Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism / Regulatory approval / Stability / therapeutics