Background: The seriousness to treat burn wounds infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa led us to examine whether the effect of the carbapenem antibiotic imipenem is enhanced by hyperbaric oxygen (HBO).
Materials & methods: The effects of HBO (100% O2, 3 ATA, 5 h) in combination with imipenen on bacterial counts of six isolates of P. aeruginosa and bacterial ultrastructure were investigated. Infected macrophages were exposed to HBO (100% O2, 3 ATA, 90 min) and the production of reactive oxygen species monitored.
Results: HBO enhanced the effects of imipenen. HBO increased superoxide anion production by macrophages and likely kills bacteria by oxidative mechanisms.
Conclusion: HBO in combination with imipenem can be used to kill P. aeruginosa in vitro and such treatment may be beneficial for the patients with injuries containing the P. aeruginosa.
Keywords: Pseudomonas aeruginosa; free radicals; hyperbaric oxygen; imipenem; macrophages; superoxide anion.