Water suspensions of cysts of a pathogenic clinical isolate of Acanthamoeba sp. were prepared, and the cysts were inactivated either in suspension or placed on the surface of contact lenses by the non-thermal plasma produced by the DC corona transient spark discharge. The efficacy of this treatment was determined by cultivation and the presence of vegetative trophozoites indicating non-inactivated cysts. The negative discharge appeared to be more effective than the positive one. The complete inactivation occurred in water suspension after 40 min and on contaminated lenses after 50 min of plasma exposure. The properties of lenses seem to not be affected by plasma exposure; that is, their optical power, diameter, curvature, water content and infrared and Raman spectra remain unchanged.

• Klíčová slova
• Acanthamoeba, DC corona discharge, IR spectra, Raman spectra, contact lenses, cysts,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Following our previous study of the therapy of onychomycosis by non-thermal plasma (NTP) and nail hygiene and to obtain some prerequisite data of dermatophytes sensitivity, the dynamics of those inactivation by NTP plasma was monitored for various strains of Trichophyton iterdigitale, Trichophyton benhamiae, Trichophyton rubrum, and Microsporum canis. Three strains of each species on agar plates were exposed with plasma produced by a DC corona discharge in the point-to-ring arrangement in various time intervals. Although all strains were sufficiently sensitive to plasma action, significant differences were observed in their sensitivity and inactivation dynamics. These differences did not correlate with the species classification of individual strains, but could be assigned to four arbitrarily created types of strain response to NTP according to their sensitivity. These results indicate that the sensitivity to plasma is not an inherent property of the fungal species, but varies from strain to strain.

• Klíčová slova
• DC corona discharge, Microsporum, Trichophyton, treatment of mycoses,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Onychomycosis is one of the most common nail disorders. Its current treatment is not satisfactorily effective and often causes adverse side effects. This study aims to determine the optimal conditions for non-thermal plasma (NTP) inactivation of the most common dermatophytes in vitro and to apply it in patient`s therapy. The in vitro exposure to NTP produced by negative DC corona discharge caused full inactivation of Trichophyton spp. if applied during the early growth phases. This effect decreased to negligible inactivation with the exposure applied six days after inoculation. In a group of 40 patients with onychomycosis, NTP therapy was combined with nail plate abrasion and refreshment (NPAR) or treatment with antimycotics. The cohort included 17 patients treated with NPAR combined with NTP, 11 patients treated with antimycotics and NTP, and 12 patients treated with NPAR alone. The combination of NPAR and NTP resulted in clinical cure in more than 70% of patients. The synergistic effect of NPAR and NTP caused 85.7% improvement of mycological cure confirmed by negative microscopy and culture of the affected nail plate. We conclude that NTP can significantly improve the treatment of onychomycosis.

• Klíčová slova
• Trichophyton, fungal inactivation, non-thermal plasma, onychomycosis therapy,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

In recent decades, the non-thermal plasma, i.e. partially or completely ionized gas produced by electric discharges at ambient temperature, has become of interest for its microbiocidal properties with potential of use in the food industry or medicine. Recently, this interest focuses not only on the planktonic forms of microorganisms but also on their biofilms. The works in this interdisciplinary field are summarized in this review. The wide range of biofilm-plasma interactions is divided into studies of general plasma action on bacteria, on biofilm and on its oral and dental application; a short overview of plasma instrumentation is also included. In addition, not only biofilm combating but also an important area of biofilm prevention is discussed. Various DC discharges of the point-to-plane type. Author's photograph, published in Khun et al. (Plasma Sources Sci Technol 27:065002, 2018).

• Klíčová slova
• Biofilm inactivation, Biofilm prevention, Dental and oral, Non-thermal plasma production, Wound healing,
• MeSH
• Bacteria růst a vývoj   účinky záření   MeSH
• biofilmy růst a vývoj   účinky záření   MeSH
• dezinfekce přístrojové vybavení   metody   MeSH
• hojení ran MeSH
• houby účinky záření   MeSH
• plazmové plyny farmakologie   MeSH
• potravinářský průmysl MeSH
• zubní materiály farmakologie   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• plazmové plyny MeSH
• zubní materiály MeSH

The inactivation of four micromycete species by action of non-thermal plasma was followed. Two sources of plasma were compared, namely, positive corona discharge and dielectric barrier discharge. The corona discharge appeared as suitable for fungal spore inactivation in water suspension, whereas the barrier discharge inactivated spores on the surface of cultivation agar. Cladosporium sphaerospermum was the most sensitive, being inactivated within 10 min of exposure to plasma, whereas Aspergillus oryzae displayed decrease in viable cell count only, the complete inactivation was not achieved even after 40 min of exposure. Intermediate sensitivity was found for Alternaria sp. and Byssochlamys nivea. The significant delay of growth was observed for all fungi after exposure to sublethal dose of plasma, but we failed to express this effect quantitatively.

• MeSH
• antifungální látky chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• houby účinky léků   růst a vývoj   MeSH
• mikrobiální viabilita účinky léků   MeSH
• plazmové plyny chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• spory hub účinky léků   růst a vývoj   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antifungální látky MeSH
• plazmové plyny MeSH