Genetic determinants of increased sodium hypochlorite and ciprofloxacin susceptibility in PA14 biofilms.

Reactive chlorine species (RCS) like sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) are potent oxidizing agents and widely used biocides in surface disinfection, water treatment, and biofilm elimination. Moreover, RCS are also produced by the human immune system to kill invading pathogens. However, bacteria have developed mechanisms to survive the damage caused by RCS.

Oxidative stress responses in biofilms.

Oxidizing agents are low-molecular-weight molecules that oxidize other substances by accepting electrons from them. They include reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as superoxide anions (O), hydrogen peroxide (HO), and hydroxyl radicals (HO), and reactive chlorine species (RCS) including sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and its active ingredient hypochlorous acid (HOCl), and chloramines. Bacteria encounter oxidizing agents in many different environments and from diverse sources.

The secondary metabolite hydrogen cyanide protects against sodium hypochlorite-induced oxidative stress.

The high pathogenicity of is attributed to the production of many virulence factors and its resistance to several antimicrobials. Among them, sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) is a widely used disinfectant due to its strong antimicrobial effect. However, bacteria develop many mechanisms to survive the damage caused by this agent.