title: Wireless electrostimulation: a new approach in combating infection?
abstract: Electrostimulation (ES), hitherto successfully employed in wound treatment, has shown potential in antimicrobial applications, suggesting its use as synergistic to or replacement of antibiotics. The differential susceptibility of pathogens and host tissue and organs to various ES modalities might allow selective use against specific infections. The use of ES is cheaper in terms of development/testing, routine application and environmental footprint. If extensive substitution of chemical compounds is achieved, the development of resistance might be reversed through negative selection. A promising setup of ES seems to be the noncontact current transfer, due to low amperage similar to innate bioelectricity, painlessness, simple logistics and low risk for treatment-caused infection.
authors.affiliation: ELGO-DEMETER, Plant Protection Institute of Patras, Patras 26402, Greece.
authors.forename: Manousos E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Kambouris
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Laikon General Hospital, Athens, 11527, Greece.
authors.forename: Antonios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Markogiannakis
authors.affiliation: Mycology Research Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens 11527, Greece.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arabatzis
authors.affiliation: ELGO-DEMETER, Plant Protection Institute of Patras, Patras 26402, Greece.
authors.forename: Yiannis
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Manoussopoulos
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology & Medical Statistics, National Retrovirus Reference Center, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens 11527, Greece.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kantzanou
authors.affiliation: Mycology Research Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens 11527, Greece.
authors.forename: Aristea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Velegraki
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000528:radiation effects*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D006801:Humans; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation
keywords: electroceuticals; electrostimulation; electrotherapy; environmental footprint; expeditionary medicine; noncontact current transfer; resistance in antibiotics; sustainability in treatment