The therapeutic potential of cold atmospheric plasma against pathogenic bacteria inhabiting diabetic wounds

Abstract

Impaired healing process of diabetic wounds is a common problem among diabetic patients. These diabetic wounds are slow to heal and can lead to serious complications if left untreated. One of the reasons diabetic wounds are slow to heal is that pathogenic bacteria often colonize them. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a promising new technology that has been shown to effectively kill and inhibit pathogenic bacteria in diabetic wounds. In the current study, we examined by what means CAP works and its potential impact as a diabetic wound treatment. Fifty diabetic patients aged from 20 to 60 years old with diabetic wounds were included in our study using the swab method. We used general and specific culture media to isolate the pathogenic bacteria from diabetic wounds and identified the bacteria via different techniques using a light microscope (oil lens) and VITEK. Moreover, we confirmed the identification of isolated bacteria by 16S rRNA. Our results demonstrated the direct anti-bacterial effect of CAP against the isolated bacteria. The most prominent bacterial type in diabetic wounds was Staphylococcus sp. CAP demonstrated the highest effect against Bacillus sp. and Paenibacillus sp., which were responsible for relevant changes in the skin and were associated with the skin immune response and microbiota. Our results revealed the therapeutic use of CAP as a powerful strategy to overcome the invading pathogenic bacteria that colonize diabetic wounds and hence improve the healing process of diabetic wounds.