Virucide properties of cold atmospheric plasma for future clinical applications

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has been repeatedly identified to bear powerful microbicidal efficacy on bacteria including multidrug resistant organisms and fungi on non-living surfaces, in biofilms as well as on contaminated and infected tissues. CAP furthermore was found to stimulate wound healing in chronic wounds and exerted anti-neoplastic effects on numerous tumor entities. Thus, CAP represents a promising medical tool for many clinical and therapeutic issues. Studies about CAP effects on virus particles recently were in arrears, but to date increasingly move into the focus of interest. Apparently, CAP treatment is followed by a promising virus inactivation and contributes to tissue regeneration. Here we review the current state of science concerning the so far investigated CAP effects on different virus species and virus-associated disorders. J. Med. Virol. 89:952-959, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.