Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy with Chlorin e6 Is Bactericidal against Biofilms of the Primary Human Otopathogens

Abstract

Otitis media (OM), or middle ear disease, is the most prevalent bacterial infection in children and the primary reason for antibiotic use and surgical intervention in the pediatric population. Biofilm formation by the major bacterial otopathogens, Moraxella catarrhalis , Streptococcus pneumoniae , and nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae , has been shown to occur within the middle ears of OM patients and is a key factor in the development of recurrent disease, which may result in hearing impairment and developmental delays. Bacterial biofilms are inherently impervious to most antibiotics and present a significant challenge to the immune system. In this study, we demonstrate that antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) using the photosensitizer chlorin e6 elicits significant bactericidal activity versus planktonic and biofilm-associated otopathogens and supports further analyses of this novel, efficacious, and promising technology as an adjunctive treatment for acute and recurrent OM.