In vitro evaluation of the decontamination effect of cold atmospheric argon plasma on selected bacteria frequently encountered in small animal bite injuries

Winter, Selina; Meyer-Lindenberg, Andrea; Wolf, Georg; Reese, Sven and Nolff, Mirja Christine (February 2020): In vitro evaluation of the decontamination effect of cold atmospheric argon plasma on selected bacteria frequently encountered in small animal bite injuries. In: Journal of Microbiological Methods, Vol. 69

Abstract

Beneficial effects of cold atmospheric argon plasma (CAAP) on wound healing and its capacity for bacterial decontamination has recently been documented. First, in vivo studies in small animals did not prove any decontamination effect in canine bite wounds. The present study evaluated the overall decontamination effect of CAAP for different bacteria frequently encountered in canine bite wounds with respect to growth phase, initial bacteria concentration and treatment duration. Standard strains of Escherichia (E.) coli, Staphylococcus (S.) pseudintermedius, S. aureus, Streptococcus (S.) canis, Pseudomonas (P.) aeruginosa and Pasteurella multocida were investigated. To evaluate the influence of the bacterial growth phase, each bacterium was incubated for three and eight hours, before CAAP treatment. Three different bacterial concentrations were created per bacterium and growth phase, and were exposed to CAAP for 30 seconds, 1 minute and 2 minutes. CAAP treatment resulted in acceptable decontamination rates (range 98.9-99.9%) in all bacteria species in vitro; however, differences in susceptibility were detected. Decontamination rate was mainly influenced by initial bacterial concentration and treatment time. Growth phase only influenced decontamination in S. pseudintermedius. Treatment time significantly (P<0.05) correlated with the decontamination rate in E. coli, S. canis and S. aureus, with an exposure time of 2 minutes being most effective. Initial bacterial concentration significantly (P<0.05) influenced decontamination in Pasteurella multocida and P. aeruginosa, in which treatment time was not as important. CAAP exerts effective antibacterial activity against the tested bacteria strains in vitro, with species specific effects of treatment time, growth phase and concentration.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Form of publication: Publisher's Version
• Keywords: cold atmospheric argon plasma; bacterial decontamination; time-dependent effects; concentration-dependent effects; bacterial growth
• Faculties: Veterinary Medicine; Veterinary Medicine > Department of Veterinary Medicine; Veterinary Medicine > Department of Veterinary Medicine > Lehrstuhl für Anatomie, Histologie und Embryologie; Veterinary Medicine > Department of Veterinary Medicine > Institut für Infektionsmedizin und Zoonosen; Veterinary Medicine > Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine
• Subjects: 600 Technology > 610 Medicine and health
• ISSN: 0167-7012
• Language: English