Overcoming antibiotic resistance: non-thermal plasma and antibiotics combination inhibits important pathogens

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance (ATBR) is increasing every year as the overuse of antibiotics (ATB) and the lack of newly emerging antimicrobial agents lead to an efficient pathogen escape from ATB action. This trend is alarming and the World Health Organization warned in 2021 that ATBR could become the leading cause of death worldwide by 2050. The development of novel ATB is not fast enough considering the situation, and alternative strategies are therefore urgently requested. One such alternative may be the use of non-thermal plasma (NTP), a well-established antimicrobial agent actively used in a growing number of medical fields. Despite its efficiency, NTP alone is not always sufficient to completely eliminate pathogens. However, NTP combined with ATB is more potent and evidence has been emerging over the last few years proving this a robust and highly effective strategy to fight resistant pathogens. This minireview summarizes experimental research addressing the potential of NTP-ATB combination, particularly for inhibiting planktonic and biofilm growth and treating infections in mouse models caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The published studies highlight this combination as a promising solution to emerging ATBR, and further research is therefore highly desirable.