University of Oregon researchers tested a new combination drug therapy that proved 10,000 times more effective at killing Pseudomonas aeruginosa in chronic wound infections than standard antibiotics alone.
This breakthrough was achieved by pairing common antibiotics with low doses of chlorate, a molecule that enhances bacterial susceptibility.
The study found chlorate combined with antibiotics was significantly more effective against P. aeruginosa.
The combination reduced the antibiotic dose needed to fight infections.
Chlorate is harmless to humans in the small doses used. This method may reduce treatment duration and side effects from high-dose antibiotics.
Chronic wounds, like diabetic foot ulcers, are difficult to treat due to oxygen-limited environments where bacteria grow slowly and resist conventional antibiotics. P. aeruginosa survives in these environments by using nitrate respiration. Chlorate disrupts this process, weakening the bacteria.
Chlorate hijacks the bacterial nitrate respiration pathway. In low-oxygen environments, this stress compromises the bacteria’s defenses, allowing antibiotics to work more effectively. The specific cellular processes affected are still under investigation.
While initial findings are promising, further studies in more complex microbial environments and animal models are needed. Researchers aim to understand the exact biological mechanisms behind the synergy and develop rational drug design strategies.
The study is published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
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