Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy Using an Organic Light-emitting Diode

Abstract

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising technique for the treatment of skin ulcers infected with multidrug-resistant bacteria because of its ability to prevent the emergence of new multidrug-resistant bacteria. We aim to use portable and disposable organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) as a PDT light source for home treatment of infected skin ulcers. OLEDs, as flexible surface light sources, provide uniform and widespread light delivery by adhering to the skin. However, OLEDs emit lower light intensity than traditional, relatively larger PDT light sources, which requires evaluation of differences in treatment effects due to variations in irradiation conditions. In this paper, we review the bactericidal and antitumor effects of low-intensity and prolonged illumination PDT and compare these effects with those of traditional PDT. In addition, we discuss the trend in the development of optical devices and introduce 5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated PDT using OLED light with low-intensity and prolonged illumination against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.