Special features of gram-positive bacterial eradication by photosensitizers

Recent Pat Antiinfect Drug Discov. 2013 Aug;8(2):88-99. doi: 10.2174/1574891x113089990013.

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance of pathogenic bacteria is a major concern and presents a special challenge for development of alternative antibacterial modalities. One of these alternative approaches is based on using the photodynamic therapy (PDT) for eradicating bacteria. Photosensitizer-induced PDT exhibits unique properties and demonstrates efficient microbe-killing effects. The efficient and irreversible antimicrobial effects of PDT are not dependent on the antibiotic susceptibility of the pathogenic bacteria to antibiotics. Gram-positive bacteria exhibit efficient binding of the photosensitizer to the bacterial barriers, leading to immediate photoinactivation of the bacteria. Photoinactivation of Gram-positive bacteria by various photosensitizers has become a high priority, since these bacteria are responsible for life-threatening infections in humans, especially in the elderly and in compromised hosts in whom they cause hospital-acquired infections. The present review concentrates on the photoinactivation of Staphylococi, Streptococci, Propionibacterium acnes, Deinococcus radiodurans, aerobic spore-forming Bacilli by various photosensitizers and by various methods described in numerous works and patents.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biofilms / drug effects
  • Deinococcus / drug effects
  • Gram-Positive Bacteria / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • Patents as Topic
  • Photochemotherapy / methods
  • Photosensitizing Agents / chemistry
  • Photosensitizing Agents / pharmacology*
  • Propionibacterium acnes / drug effects
  • Solubility
  • Staphylococcus / drug effects
  • Staphylococcus / physiology
  • Streptococcus / drug effects
  • Water

Substances

  • Photosensitizing Agents
  • Water