Inactivating bacteria with electric pulses and antibiotics
US11844835B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 30, 2021 |
| Grant date | Dec 19, 2023 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 30, 2041 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02A50/30
- WIPO fieldPharmaceuticals
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
Provided is a method of reducing a number of viable microbes, including contacting microbes with an antibiotic compound and applying pulses of electricity having a duration of between about 50 nanoseconds and about 900 nanoseconds. The pulses of electricity may have an intensity between about 20 kV/cm and about 40 kV/cm. The pulses of electricity may be applied at a frequency of between about 0.1 Hz and about 10 Hz. The microbes may be a gram-negative or a gram-positive strain of bacteria and the antibiotic may be applied at a concentration for a duration, wherein applying the antibiotic to the strain at the concentration for the duration does not reduce a viable number of bacteria of the strain as much, or at all, when the pulses of electricity are not also applied.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.