Bactericidal effect of extracorporeal shock waves on Staphylococcus aureus.
Despite considerable knowledge about the effects of shock waves on eukaryotic soft tissues, no data are available concerning their effect on prokaryotic micro-organisms. In vitro studies on the bactericidal effect of extracorporeal shock waves on staphylococci were performed with energy levels that are standard for the disintegration of calculi. Suspensions containing 10(4)-10(5) cfu of Staphylococcus aureus/ml were sealed in plastic tubes and exposed to shock waves, resulting in a mean decrease of 3.1 log(10). Whereas impulse rates of > or =350 resulted in a decrease of cfu/ml equalling the detection limit, lower numbers of impulses did not result in an appreciable bactericidal effect. The bactericidal effect of extracorporeal shock waves might provide the basis for the development of novel therapeutic strategies for bacterial infections.
C
C
VON Eiff
Institute of Medical Microbiology, *Department of Trauma- and Hand-Surgery, †Central Animal Experimentation Facility, ‡Department of General Surgery - Surgical Research, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, 48149 Münster and §Department of Urology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44627 Herne, Germany.
J
J
Overbeck
Institute of Medical Microbiology, *Department of Trauma- and Hand-Surgery, †Central Animal Experimentation Facility, ‡Department of General Surgery - Surgical Research, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, 48149 Münster and §Department of Urology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44627 Herne, Germany.
G
G
Haupt
M
M
Herrmann
Institute of Medical Microbiology, *Department of Trauma- and Hand-Surgery, †Central Animal Experimentation Facility, ‡Department of General Surgery - Surgical Research, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, 48149 Münster and §Department of Urology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44627 Herne, Germany.
S
S
Winckler
Institute of Medical Microbiology, *Department of Trauma- and Hand-Surgery, †Central Animal Experimentation Facility, ‡Department of General Surgery - Surgical Research, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, 48149 Münster and §Department of Urology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44627 Herne, Germany.
K-D
KD
Richter
G
G
Peters
Institute of Medical Microbiology, *Department of Trauma- and Hand-Surgery, †Central Animal Experimentation Facility, ‡Department of General Surgery - Surgical Research, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, 48149 Münster and §Department of Urology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44627 Herne, Germany.
H-U
HU
Spiegel
D008096:Lithotripsy; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000628:therapy; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000502:physiology*