Blue light could treat infections caused by superbugs

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a bacterium that causes infection in various parts of the body, is often called a "superbug" because of its ability to dodge many common antibiotics. Although most MRSA infections are not serious, some may be life-threatening, sometimes resulting in amputation of the infected appendix.

Rather than throwing dice with a combination of several medications or wasting precious time trying to determine the drug to prescribe, doctors may soon use a new method to disarm superbugs: light therapy.

Researchers at Purdue University and Boston University have discovered that exposing the microbe to blue light can make it defenseless against antiseptics as mild as hydrogen peroxide. The results were published in the journal Advanced Science.

"This new tool can treat all superficial wounds infected with MRSA, which are usually very difficult to treat," said Mohamed Seleem, a professor of microbiology at Purdue College of Veterinary Medicine. "The device itself is very small and easy to use.We hope that in the next few years, everyone will be able to carry it in their bag."

Compared to a Neutrogena light therapy mask for acne, know that it is much more portable and more reasonable. It looks like a small box with a hole to let in the light, which contains light up to the sore.

Some bacteria, including some strains of staphylococci, produce pigments. These pigments are badociated with the body's ability to damage the host. If you know how to reduce the pigment, you may be able to reduce the activity of the body in the body. This practice is known as photobleaching.

"When you launder something in the washing machine, you extract the color with the help of chemicals.What we do here is similar, but we use blue light," said Seleem, who studies resistance antimicrobials and infectious diseases.

After promising results in vitro, the researchers exposed mice with MRSA infected wounds at different wavelengths of light. Infections responded particularly well to light in the blue region and, combined with low concentration hydrogen peroxide, were significantly reduced.

The technology is patented by Purdue's Office of Technology Commercialization.