Improving antibiotic treatment of bacterial biofilm by hyperbaric oxygen therapy: Not just hot air

Abstract

Bacteria and fungi show substantial increased recalcitrance when growing as infectious biofilms. Chronic infections caused by biofilm growing microorganisms is considered a major problem of modern medicine. New strategies are needed to improve antibiotic treatment of biofilms. We have improved antibiotic treatment of bacterial biofilms by reviving the dormant bacteria and thereby make them susceptible to antibiotics by means of reoxygenation. Here we review the rationale for associating lack of oxygen with low susceptibility in infectious biofilm, and how hyperbaric oxygen therapy may result in reoxygenation leading to enhanced bactericidal activity of antibiotics. We address issues of feasibility and potential adverse effects regarding patient safety and development of resistance. Finally, we propose means for supplying reoxygenation to antibiotic treatment of infectious biofilm with the potential to benefit large groups of patients.

Keywords: Antibiotics; Biofilm; Hyperbaric oxygen; Susceptibility.

Fig. 1

Confirmed (solid lines) and putative (dotted lines) mechanisms leading to increased bacterial killing when applying HBOT during antibiotic treatment of infectious bacterial biofilms.