Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Applied Microbiology logoLink to Applied Microbiology
. 1967 Sep;15(5):1020–1024. doi: 10.1128/am.15.5.1020-1024.1967

Enhancement of Antibiotic Activity against Staphylococcus aureus by Exposure to Hyperbaric Oxygen

George H Bornside 1
PMCID: PMC547134  PMID: 6077408

Abstract

Growth of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538P was studied in stationary broth cultures (11 mm deep) exposed to hyperbaric oxygen (100% O2 at 3 atm absolute). The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the following antibiotics was determined after exposure to high-pressure oxygen (HPO) for 3, 6, and 12 hr: penicillin, streptomycin, tetracycline, oxytetracycline, kanamycin, and cephalothin. Logarithmic growth during exposure to HPO was retarded 60%. Air at 3 atm absolute did not retard growth. The longer the exposure of tube dilution tests to HPO, the lower the MIC. Regardless of the antibiotic used, MIC values relative to 100% for unexposed controls were similar for given exposures, and averaged 73% after 3 hr of exposure to HPO, 53% after 6 hr, and 34% after 12 hr. Similar enhancement with HPO and an iodophor suggests occurrence of a general phenomenon with antibacterial agents. Although HPO alone is primarily bacteriostatic, combined therapy with antibiotics and HPO may be useful against bacterial infections because the therapeutic effectiveness of a maximal dosage of antibiotic could be increased.

Full text

PDF
1020

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. CALDWELL J. EFFECT OF HIGH PRESSURES OF PURE OXYGEN ON TISSUES. Nature. 1964 Feb 1;201:514–515. doi: 10.1038/201514a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Chance B., Jamieson D., Coles H. Energy-linked pyridine nucleotide reduction: inhibitory effects of hyperbaric oxygen in vitro and in vivo. Nature. 1965 Apr 17;206(981):257–263. doi: 10.1038/206257a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. FREDETTE V. ACTION DE L'OXYGENE HYPERBARE SUR LE BACILLE TETANIQUE ET SUR LA TOXINE TETANIQUE. Rev Can Biol. 1964 Sep;23:241–246. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. FREDETTE V. EFFECT OF HYPERBARIC OXYGEN ON ANAEROBIC BACTERIA AND TOXINS. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1965 Jan 21;117:700–705. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. GOTTLIEB S. F., ROSE N. R., MAURIZI J., LANPHIER E. H. OXYGEN INHIBITION OF GROWTH OF MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS. J Bacteriol. 1964 Apr;87:838–843. doi: 10.1128/jb.87.4.838-843.1964. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Gottlieb S. F. Bacterial nutritional approach to mechanisms of oxygen toxicity. J Bacteriol. 1966 Oct;92(4):1021–1027. doi: 10.1128/jb.92.4.1021-1027.1966. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Gottlieb S. F. Hyperbaric oxygenation. Adv Clin Chem. 1965;8:69–139. doi: 10.1016/s0065-2423(08)60413-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. HOPKINSON W. I., TOWERS A. G. EFFECTS OF HYPERBARIC OXYGEN ON SOME COMMON PATHOGENIC BACTERIA. Lancet. 1963 Dec 28;2(7322):1361–1362. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(63)90741-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Irvin T. T., Suwanagul A., Norman J. N., Smith G. Effects of hyberbaric oxygen on shallow, stationary broth cultures of Escherichia coli. Lancet. 1966 Dec 3;2(7475):1222–1224. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(66)92304-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. MCALLISTER T. A., STARK J. M., NORMAN J. N., ROSS R. M. INHIBITORY EFFECTS OF HYPERBARIC OXYGEN ON BACTERIA AND FUNGI. Lancet. 1963 Nov 16;2(7316):1040–1042. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(63)90011-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Moore B., Williams R. S. The Growth of Various Species of Bacteria and Other Micro-Organisms in Atmospheres Enriched with Oxygen. Biochem J. 1911;5(4):181–187. doi: 10.1042/bj0050181. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Nora P. F., Bransfield J., Cieslak F., Laufman H. HPO in clostridial toxicity and strangulation obstruction. Arch Surg. 1966 Aug;93(2):236–244. doi: 10.1001/archsurg.1966.01330020028004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. OLLODART R., BLAIR E. HIGH-PRESSURE OXYGEN AS AN ADJUNCT IN EXPERIMENTAL BACTEREMIC SHOCK. JAMA. 1965 Mar 1;191:736–739. doi: 10.1001/jama.1965.03080090050011. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Pennock C. A. Effect of hyperbaric oxygen on the growth of aerobic organisms in deep culture. Lancet. 1966 Jun 18;1(7451):1348–1350. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(66)92138-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. ROSS R. M., MCALLISTER T. A. PROTECTIVE ACTION OF HYPERBARIC OXYGEN IN MICE WITH PNEUMOCOCCAL SEPTICAEMIA. Lancet. 1965 Mar 13;1(7385):579–581. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(65)91149-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Thaysen A. C. Preliminary note on the action of gases under pressure on the growth of micro-organisms: Action of oxygen under pressure at various temperatures. Biochem J. 1934;28(4):1330–1335. doi: 10.1042/bj0281330. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Violago F. C., Roberts E., Penn I. The effect of hyperbaric oxygen upon aerobic bacteria. I. In vitro studies. Can J Microbiol. 1966 Jun;12(3):521–529. doi: 10.1139/m66-075. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Applied Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES