Multifunctional therapeutic strategy of Ag-synergized dual-modality upconversion nanoparticles to achieve the rapid and sustained cidality of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Infectious diseases caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria pose a severe threat to public health, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality. Here we report on the first demonstration of a novel core-shell nanostructure [email protected]2(RB)-AgNPs with a unique design feature that integrates photodynamic therapy (PDT), sonodynamic therapy (SDT), and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), in a single nanoscale entity. It offers potent ability of inducing a rapid bactericidal effect by a dual-modality therapy (PDT+SDT) with the long-lasting antibacterial benefits of AgNPs to achieve the complete eradication of MRSA at a relatively low dose. Our data indicate that the nanoparticles developed in this study have the potential for use in the clinical synergistic treatment of infectious diseases caused by MRSA.