Blue (470nm) light kills MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus areus) in Vitro

In this study, an average of 90.4% of both US-300 (community acquired) and IS-853 (hospital acquired) strains of MRSA were killed within minutes of exposure to simple blue light. This should be all over the national and world news. Why isn’t it? Maybe people don’t know what it means. Here is what the study said,

“These significant levels of photo-destruction at low dosages indicate that irradiation with 470nm LED light energy may be a practical, inexpensive alternative to treatment with pharmacological agents, particularly in cases involving cutaneous and subcutanious MRSA infections that are susceptible to non-invasive types of radiation.”

Here’s what it means:

“significant levels of photo-destruction” – an average of 90.4% of MRSA bacteria experienced ‘death by light.’

“low dosages” – simple light was used, not low level laser light, not laser light, and it only took a few minutes of exposure to kill significant amounts of bacteria – 30% dying after just 100 seconds of exposure.

“irradiation” – Light shining on something. Light of any color from any source is actually powerful electromagnetic energy, or radiation, and so light of any color can also be called “radiation.” When you shine any light on something, its being irradiated. It’s not  as dangerous or expensive as it sounds. These two girls survive by daily high doses of 405-485nm (blue) ”irradiation.”

“470nm” – blue. That’s it. Click here for a more detailed explanation. A previous study was done with similar results with 405nm light, which is visible violet light, very close to UVA on the electromagnetic spectrum. The actual span of the light used in this case was 455-485nm. Since 405nm also worked, it stands to reason that all wavelengths from 405 through 485 would have the same effect. That is blue light, period.

“LED light energy” – as touched on above, all light is energy, the source does not matter. In this case, SLDs (superluminous diodes) were used, which are just the latest advancement in LED lighting – nothing special. LEDs are commonly used in medical research because they largely eliminate the factor of heat. Any blue light source that peaked around 470nm should have produced the same results.

“practical, inexpensive alternative to treatment with pharmacological agents” – easier and cheaper than drugs. They did not mention it’s also 100% natural, having no adverse side effects reported, non-invaisive, painless, simply administered at home… and it’s worth double mention – easy to obtain, easy to use, and very cheap.

“cases involving cutaneous and subcutanious MRSA infections that are susceptible to non-invasive types of radiation.” – cases of MRSA infections on and just beneath the surface of the skin, where the light is able to penetrate naturally.

So, to sum up:

Since simple blue light killed an average of 90% of MRSA bacteria in the lab, it may turn out to be a practical, inexpensive alternative to treatment with drugs for cases of MRSA infections of or just under the skin in humans.

I would not wait for further studies, FDA approval, or fancy marketing before I tried this out on myself or a loved one battling a MRSA infection on or just under the skin.

The antibacterial properties of blue light have been known for quite some time – in fact the FDA approved blue light to kill acne bacteria in 2002. There are many Acne Treatment Lights already available and in use today containing the same wavelengths used to kill MRSA, it would be very simple for them to be re-purposed immediately in the case of a MRSA infection of the skin not responding to antibiotics. It would also be good to have one of these lights around to disinfect everyday cuts, burns and bites as a matter of MRSA prevention.

Here are the two least expensive lights I know of proven to contain the wavelengths used in the blue light MRSA study, without UV.

GE Dichro-Color Blue – $25.00 – spans 400nm-485nm, peaks near 470nm

enLux Blue R30 LED Floodlight $89.95 – spans 460nm-485nm, peaks near 470nm.

A Google search of “acne lights” will reveal more. Any blue light emitting wavelengths between 405nm and 485nm should have the same effect. Those near the 405nm range, such as 415nm, may have some UVA, however, when faced with an antibiotic resistant MRSA infection, this is fairly insignificant.

Our own LightWave AB™ (Antibacterial) $199.95, is now available online.  It peaks both at 405nm and 470nm and does contain some UVA as part of the natural spectrum of the 405nm light.

More Blue Light MRSA studies:

Visible 405 nm SLD light photo-destroys methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in vitro

Effects of combined 405-nm and 880-nm light on Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro.

Blue 470-nm light kills methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in vitro.

In vitro bactericidal effects of 405-nm and 470-nm blue light.

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]]> http://lighttherapyoptions.com/2009/02/blue-light-kills-mrsa-superbug/feed/ 3 http://lighttherapyoptions.com/2011/06/blue-light-kills-staphylococcus-aureus-s-aureus-or-staph-aureus/ http://lighttherapyoptions.com/2011/06/blue-light-kills-staphylococcus-aureus-s-aureus-or-staph-aureus/#comments Fri, 17 Jun 2011 13:18:36 +0000 Louanna http://lighttherapyoptions.com/?p=560 Staphylococcus aureus, abbreviated S. aureus, is commonly known as Staph.

The only purpose of this post is to let you know that blue light kills Staphylococcus aureus, 100% naturally, and inexpensively.  Even the antibiotic resistant strain, the MRSA ‘superbug.’   If this follows in the path of most light therapy of it’s kind, there will also be zero negative side effects.

As the researcher points out, this finding could be applied to treatment of Staphylococcus aureus infections of the skin, or just under the skin, prevention of such infections, and for decontamination of environmental surfaces.

You can read more about the bacterial effect of blue light on staph from an earlier post I wrote when this first became news.

Detailed investigation of the bactericidal effect of the blue-light treatment on Staphylococcus aureus suspensions, for a range of different population densities, demonstrated that 405-nm LED array illumination can cause complete inactivation at high population densities: inactivation levels corresponding to a 9-log₁₀ reduction were achieved. The results, which show the inactivation of a wide range of medically important bacteria including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, demonstrate that, with further development, narrow-spectrum 405-nm visible-light illumination from an LED source has the potential to provide a novel decontamination method with a wide range of potential applications.

Quoted from:

Inactivation of Bacterial Pathogens following Exposure to Light from a 405-Nanometer Light-Emitting Diode Array

Click the links for full details.

Visible 405 nm SLD light photo-destroys methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in vitro

Conclusion

At low doses, blue light photo-destroys HA-MRSA and CA-MRSA in vitro; raising the prospect that phototherapy may be an effective clinical tool in the on-going effort to stem MRSA infections.

Effects of combined 405-nm and 880-nm light on Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro.

CONCLUSION:

Appropriate doses of combined 405-nm and 880-nm phototherapy can kill Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro, suggesting that a similar effect may be produced in clinical cases of bacterial infection.

Blue 470-nm light kills methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in vitro.

CONCLUSION:

At practical dose ranges, 470-nm blue light kills HA-MRSA and CA-MRSA in vitro, suggesting that a similar bactericidal effect may be attained in human cases of cutaneous and subcutaneous MRSA infections.

In vitro bactericidal effects of 405-nm and 470-nm blue light.

CONCLUSION:

The results indicate that, in vitro, 405- and 470-nm blue light produce dose dependent bactericidal effects on Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus but not Propionibacterium acnes.

We got the news that blue light (405nm and 470nm) kills MRSA in February 2009.   Mom and I both published separate articles to help get the word out, and we both put ads up on Google to try to reach people looking for help.  I had a prototype be made using the exact wavelengths used in the research.I wondered how we would ever test the new light before selling it.

Then all hell broke loose in my family.  Suddenly my mom was gone, and my sister was in the hospital with 5 open wounds.   Because we were actively working on blue light for MRSA at the time, the risk of MRSA infection was at the top of my mind.  I had my prototypes overnight-ed to me in Florida.  The doctors and nurses at Tampa General Hospital were very open to alternative treatments including light therapy, and they did not give me any problem using the lights on my sister.  (I used both red and blue prototypes.  Blue to kill MRSA, and red to speed wound closure wound healing.)  Her wounds were cleaned and packed twice daily.  We made sure blue light shone on them whenever they were open.  For the three weeks she was on the trauma floor, she did not contract MRSA in any of her wounds.

After three or four weeks, my sister gained strength and determination enough to graduate to the rehab center at TGH.  Visiting hours were slashed, and so no one was there to shine the lights on her while her wounds were cleaned dressed.  Within three days of being in rehab, she had acquired MRSA in her deepest wound.  I called the nurse practitioner who cared for her the weeks before in the trauma unit, she came and cleaned the wound herself, and instructed the nurses in rehab that the blue light be shone on her wounds whenever they were open.

There was no evidence of recurrence of the MRSA infection.

Of course I can not say for sure the blue light kept the MRSA away while she was in the trauma unit.  I can only say for sure she got MRSA after three days without it.  I can not say for sure the antibiotics she was on did not kill the MRSA, or keep it from recurring.  All I know is, while the light shone on her, for three weeks, she did not get it.  Then three days without it, and she was infected.  Upon proper cleaning of the wound and the reintroduction of blue light treatments, the hospital aquired MRSA did not reoccur in any wound.  It has been 18 months since the original incident.  My sister is almost 100%.

Since then, by way of the articles mom and I published at the start,  I have sold a few lights, now called Genesis AB, specifically for MRSA treatment by request.  Although I have not yet followed up with those clients to see how their treatment went, none of them returned the light.

So after a year and 1/2 interruption of plans, I’m continuing where we left off, and making this light available online today.

Actually I hope you never need it.

1. I would see my doctor immediately and follow his advice.

2. Until the infection was gone, I’d quit eating/drinking all sugar and refined carbohydrates. MRSA bacteria, like most bad bacteria, fungus, etc., eat (live on) sugar.  I would not feed the infection.

If you Google MRSA and sugar, I’m sure you’ll find all the science.

3. I would sunbathe daily in order to get the full natural dose of Vitamin D3 every day, along with all the other healing benefits of the sun (antibacterial and immune boosting), which modern science is only scratching the surface of understanding. If I could not sunbathe, (impossible today here in New England), I would visit a tanning salon 3x weekly.

(I would never let myself burn. The full natural dose of Vitamin D is produced by UVB exposure in a fraction of the time that it takes your skin to even turn slightly pink.)

Visit: vitamindcouncil.org
Read: the UV Advantage pages 153-159.  and/or Vitamin D3 and Solar Power for Optimal Health pages 31, 32 and 195-198.

4. I would shine blue light on the spots as much of the rest of the time as practical. Blue light has been proven to kill MRSA bacteria in vitro, and that’s good enough for me.

See: Blue Light Kills MRSA Superbug

I am not a doctor, and this is not medical advice.  If you think you have a MRSA infection, you should see your doctor immediately.