Antibacterial Effect Of Cold Atmospheric Plasma For Treatment Of Bacterial Keratitis In An Animal Model.

Bacterial Keratitis is one of the most common eye diseases, especially in developing countries. The emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance requires the development of new treatment options for bacterial infections. Cold atmosphere plasma contains highly energetic species such as free radicals, electrons, positive and negative ions, atoms and excited molecules that can inactivate microorganisms. The aim of this study was to investigate the antibacterial effect of cold atmospheric plasma for treatment of  bacterial keratitis in an animal model.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus were first cultured on LB agar medium and then treated with cold atmospheric plasma for 5, 7 and 10 minutes. For in vivo evaluation, bacterial keratitis was induced by injection of 10⁶ CFU of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the corneal stroma of 9 New Zealand male rabbits. In the plasma group, rabbits were treated with cold plasma for 7 minutes in 2 days and the other groups was treated with antibiotics or Phosphate buffered saline. The rabbits were examined and photographed daily.

After 7 min of plasma exposure, viable P.aeruginosa and  S.aureus was not detectable in the culture media. The rabbits’ eyes which were treated with plasma were clear without any significant complications. The mean CFU in  rabbits cornea was significantly reduced in plasma-treated and antibiotics groups than non-treated rabbits. (P<0.05).  

Cold atmospheric plasma is a safe and effective for treatment of bacterial keratitis induced by P. aeruginosa.  Investigating its synergistic effect with traditional antibiotics can be evaluated in future studies.