Reducing bacterial resistance to antibiotics with ultrasound

• Published in: Letters in applied microbiology Vol. 28; no. 1; pp. 81 - 84
• Main Authors: Rediske, A. M., Rapoport, N., Pitt, W. G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science, Ltd 01.01.1999; Blackwell Science
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antibiotics (antibacterial agents, antifungal agents); Antibiotics, microbial producers, chemotherapic agents, antiseptics, disinfecting agents; Applied microbiology; Biological and medical sciences; Colony Count, Microbial; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; Erythromycin - pharmacology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Microbiology; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Pseudomonas aeruginosa - drug effects; Pseudomonas aeruginosa - growth & development; Ultrasonics; Pseudomonadales; Antibiotic; Bacteria; Pseudomonadaceae; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Erythromycin; Ultrasound; Antimicrobial agent; Comparative study; Bactericidal effect
• ISSN: 0266-8254; 1472-765X
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2672.1999.00461.x

The effect of erythromycin on planktonic cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with and without application of 70 kHz ultrasound, was studied. Ultrasound was applied at levels that had no inhibitory effect on cultures of Ps. aeruginosa. Ultrasound in combination with erythromycin reduced the viability of Ps. aeruginosa by 1–2 orders of magnitude compared with antibiotic alone, even at concentrations below the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Electron‐spin resonance studies suggest that ultrasound induces uptake of antibiotic by perturbing or stressing the membrane. This application of ultrasound may be useful for expanding the number of drugs available for treating localized infections by rendering bacteria susceptible to normally ineffective antibiotics.