Cold atmospheric plasma for surface disinfection : a promising weapon against deleterious meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus biofilms

Lunder, Manca (author), Dahle, Sebastian (author), Fink, Rok (author)

Background: Bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to classical antimicrobial agents, so new approaches need to be explored. Aim: To assess the potential of cold atmospheric plasma for the management of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Methods: The 24, 48, and 72 h resistant and susceptible S. aureus biofilms were exposed to 60, 120, and 180 s treatment with plasma. Findings: Increasing the treatment time results in higher cell reduction for both susceptible and resistant strains of S. aureus (P < 0.05). Up to log$_{10}$ reduction factor of 5.24 cfu/cm$^2$ can be achieved in 180 s of plasma treatment. Furthermore, plasma can substantially alter the cell’s metabolisms and impact cell membrane integrity. However, it has not been shown that plasma can reduce biofilm biomass in the case of 24 h and 48 h biofilms, although the 72 h biofilm was more susceptible, and its biomass was decreased (P < 0.05). The accumulation of intrabacterial reactive oxygen species was also observed, which confirms the plasma’s induction of oxidative stress. Finally, it was shown that continuous plasma exposure of bacterial cells does not cause resistance to plasma, nor is resistance developed to cefoxitin. Conclusion: Cold atmospheric plasma is a good candidate for S. aureus and MRSA biofilm treatment and may therefore be of value in the bacterial resistance crisis.

• Language: English
• Keywords: cold atmospheric plasma, Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, reduction, metabolic activity, resistance
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: ZF - Faculty of Health Sciences; BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: Str. 64-75
• Numbering: Vol. 143
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-152544
• UDC: 616.9:614
• ISSN on article: 0195-6701
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2023.10.014
• COBISS.SI-ID: 173756675
• Publication date in RUL: 27.11.2023

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: The journal of hospital infection
• Shortened title: J. hosp. infect.
• Publisher: Elsevier, The Healthcare Infection Society
• ISSN: 0195-6701
• COBISS.SI-ID: 6404871

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• Description: The most restrictive Creative Commons license. This only allows people to download and share the work for no commercial gain and for no other purposes.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: hladna atmosferska plazma, Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, zmanjšanje, presnovna aktivnost, odpornost

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P4-0015
• Name: Les in lignocelulozni kompoziti