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Effect of atmospheric pressure non-equilibrium plasmas on Neisseria gonorrhoeae

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Summary

In this study, the sterilizing effect of atmospheric pressure nonequilibrium plasmas (APNPs) on Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae) was preliminarily examined and the possible mechanisms were explored. N. gonorrhoeae FA1090, FA19 and MS11 were treated by APNPs and their survival rate was analyzed by using CFUs counting and structurally studied by laser scanning confocal microscopy. The morphological changes of bacterial cell membrane and wall were studied under TEM. Our results showed that APNPs had strong sterilizing effect on N. gonorrhoeae. The survival rate of MS11 in N. gonorrhoeae liquid medium was 60.65% after disinfection with the APNPs for 5 min, whereas, the survival rate of FA19 was 92.60% and the rate of FA1090 was 96.40%. The survival rate of MS11 was 21.13% after exposure to APNPs for 6 min, whereas the survival rate of FA19 was 31.60% and the rate of FA1090 was 91.00%. N. gonorrhoeae was structurally damaged after treatment with APNPs. It is concluded that APNPs is able to effectively and quickly kill the N. gonorrhoeae, and the killing effect is related to the architectural damage of cell membrane.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China

    Yating Tu  (涂亚庭), Li Xu  (许 莉), Ying Yu  (俞 莺), Ming Tan  (谭 明), Juan Li  (李 娟) & Hongxiang Chen  (陈宏翔)

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  1. Yating Tu  (涂亚庭)
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  2. Li Xu  (许 莉)
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  3. Ying Yu  (俞 莺)
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  4. Ming Tan  (谭 明)
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  5. Juan Li  (李 娟)
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  6. Hongxiang Chen  (陈宏翔)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hongxiang Chen  (陈宏翔).

Additional information

Yating TU and Li XU contributed equally to this work.

This project was supported by grants from the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (No. 30700717) and research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China (No. 20070487140).

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Tu, Y., Xu, L., Yu, Y. et al. Effect of atmospheric pressure non-equilibrium plasmas on Neisseria gonorrhoeae . J. Huazhong Univ. Sci. Technol. [Med. Sci.] 30, 226–230 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-010-0219-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-010-0219-9

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