title: Contact-free inactivation of Candida albicans biofilms by cold atmospheric air plasma.
abstract: Candida albicans is one of the main species able to form a biofilm on almost any surface, causing both skin and superficial mucosal infections. The worldwide increase in antifungal resistance has led to a decrease in the efficacy of standard therapies, prolonging treatment time and increasing health care costs. Therefore, the aim of this work was to demonstrate the applicability of atmospheric plasma at room temperature for inactivating C. albicans growing in biofilms without thermally damaging heat-sensitive materials. This so-called cold atmospheric plasma is produced by applying high voltage to accelerate electrons, which ionize the surrounding air, leading to the production of charged particles, reactive species, and photons. A newly developed plasma device was used, which exhibits a large plasma-generating surface area of 9 by 13 cm (117 cm(2)). Different time points were selected to achieve an optimum inactivation efficacy range of ≥3 log(10) to 5 log(10) reduction in CFU per milliliter, and the results were compared with those of 70% ethanol. The results obtained show that contact-free antifungal inactivation of Candida biofilms by cold atmospheric plasma is a promising tool for disinfection of surfaces (and items) in both health care settings and the food industry, where ethanol disinfection should be avoided.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Regensburg University Hospital, Regensburg, Germany. tim.maisch@klinik.uni-regensburg.de
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maisch
authors.forename: Tetsuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Isbary
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heinlin
authors.forename: Sigrid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karrer
authors.forename: Tobias G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Klämpfl
authors.forename: Yang-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morfill
authors.forename: Julia L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
mesh_terms: D000388:Air; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D050296:Microbial Viability / Q000187:drug effects; D058626:Plasma Gases / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D058626:Plasma Gases