Photoinactivation of Brazilian endemic carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacteria

Abstract

Multidrug-resistant bacteria producing carbapenemases are a public health concern, and in the absence of commercial available antimicrobial agents new strategies are worthy of investigation. The aim of this study is to explore treatment with photodynamic therapy (PDT) as an innovative antimicrobial technology that employs a nontoxic dye, termed a photosensitizer (PS), followed by irradiation with harmless visible light. The in vitro antibacterial activity of PDT, against OXA-, IMP-, NDM-, KPC-, SPM-, VIM-, and GES-like carbapenemase-producing gram-negative bacteria, will be evaluated by time-kill, LIVE/DEAD® (for flow cytometry and microscopy), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) assays.