Recently, scientists have developed a new way to treat MRSA. This new development uses a light activated treatment that targets and kills MRSA.

The treatment works by using a light-sensitive antimicrobial drug that is attached to a peptide (protein), which then attaches onto the bacterial surface of MRSA. With use of this method, only MRSA bacteria are targeted and healthy body cells are preserved in the process.

The chemical that is used is Tin Chlorin E6, which upon treatment releases molecules that kill MRSA when exposed of specific types of light wavelengths.

Studies that were conducted showed that the treatment killed 99.97% of 10 million MRSA bacteria. The study also showed that the new treatment was over 1,000 times better than Tin Chlorin E6 used without the peptide. The way that this treatment is administered makes the likelihood of MRSA developing a resistance to it very unlikely, which is good for the consideration of long term use.

Linda Dekker, a leading participant in the development in this new treatment, presented the information from the studies to the Society For General Microbiology in Harrogate, Yorkshire, on March 31, 2009.

At the meeting, she stated that “the results from laboratory studies are very encouraging and indicate that this technique might be effective at treating tropical infections, such as wound and burn infections”. She also stated “due to the growing resistance of many organisms to antibiotics, this approach may be the only one available for use against microbes resistant to all known antibiotics“.