Nanosecond pulsed electric fields increase antibiotic susceptibility in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Microbiol Spectr. 2024 Jan 11;12(1):e0299223. doi: 10.1128/spectrum.02992-23. Epub 2023 Dec 4.

Abstract

We have found that treatment with short electric pulses potentiates the effects of multiple antibiotics against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. By reducing the dose of antibiotic necessary to be effective, co-treatment with electric pulses could amplify the effects of standard antibiotic dosing to treat S. aureus infections such as skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs). SSTIs are accessible to physical intervention and are good candidates for electric pulse co-treatment, which could be adopted as a step-in wound and abscess debridement.

Keywords: MRSA; Staphylococcus aureus; electroporation; skin infection.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Community-Acquired Infections*
  • Humans
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Soft Tissue Infections* / drug therapy
  • Staphylococcal Infections* / drug therapy
  • Staphylococcal Skin Infections* / drug therapy
  • Staphylococcus aureus

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents

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