Harnessing the power of light to treat staphylococcal infections focusing on MRSA

Current Pharmaceutical Design
Tanupriya AgrawalMichael R Hamblin

Abstract

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become the most important drug-resistant microbial pathogen in countries throughout the world. Morbidity and mortality due to MRSA infections continue to increase despite efforts to improve infection control measures and to develop new antibiotics. Therefore alternative antimicrobial strategies that do not give rise to development of resistance are urgently required. A group of therapeutic interventions has been developed in the field of photomedicine with the common theme that they rely on electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths between 200 and 1000 nm broadly called "light". These techniques all use simple absorption of photons by specific chromophores to deliver the killing blow to microbial cells while leaving the surrounding host mammalian cells relatively unharmed. Photodynamic inactivation uses dyes called photosensitizers (PS) that bind specifically to MRSA cells and not host cells, and generate reactive oxygen species including singlet oxygen and singlet oxygen upon illumination. Sophisticated molecular strategies to target the PS to MRSA cells have been designed. Ultraviolet C radiation can damage microbial DNA without unduly harming host DNA. Blue light can ex...Continue Reading

Citations

Mar 14, 2016·Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology. B, Biology·Maria Rita RonquiCarla Raquel Fontana
Dec 17, 2020·Biotechnic & Histochemistry : Official Publication of the Biological Stain Commission·Ergun MeteÇağrı Ergin
Sep 4, 2018·ACS Infectious Diseases·Ana V Morales-de-EchegarayAlexander Wei

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