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Electrochemical Control Of Bacterial Persister Cells, Tagbo Herman Roland Niepa

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The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has presented an increasing challenge to infection control. Conventional methods of antibacterial treatment involving high dose of antibiotics or surgical intervention have proven insufficient for eradicating persistent infections, such as those associated with medical implants. It is well recognized that bacterial populations commonly contain a small percentage of phenotypic variants, known as persister cells, which are metabolically inactive and extremely tolerant to antibiotics. When the antibiotic treatment is stopped, surviving persister cells can regenerate the bacterial population with a similar percentage of persister cells. Thus, persistence presents a great challenge to curing chronic infections.

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