title: Hot topics in reactive oxygen therapy: Antimicrobial and immunological mechanisms, safety and clinical applications.
abstract: Reactive oxygen species (ROS), when combined with various delivery mechanisms, has the potential to become a powerful novel therapeutic agent against difficult-to-treat infections, especially those involving biofilm. It is important in the context of the global antibiotic resistance crisis. ROS is rapidly active in vitro against all Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria tested. ROS also has antifungal and antiviral properties. ROS prevents the formation of biofilms caused by a range of bacterial species in wounds and respiratory epithelium. ROS has been successfully used in infection prevention, eradication of multiresistant organisms, prevention of surgical site infection, and intravascular line care. This antimicrobial mechanism has great potential for the control of bioburden and biofilm at many sites, thus providing an alternative to systemic antibiotics on epithelial/mucosal surfaces, for wound and cavity infection, chronic respiratory infections and possibly recurrent urinary infections as well as local delivery to deeper structures and prosthetic devices. Its simplicity and stability lend itself to use in developing economies as well.
authors.affiliation: Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK; University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK. Electronic address: matthew.dryden@hhft.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dryden
authors.affiliation: Imperial College London, London, UK; University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cooke
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK; Southampton NIHR Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK; Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: Rami
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Salib
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Holding
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK; Southampton NIHR Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: Sylvia L F
authors.initials: SLF
authors.lastname: Pender
authors.affiliation: University of Hull, Hull, UK.
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brooks
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species
keywords: Novel antimicrobial; Reactive oxygen species