**1. Introduction**

The widespread use of antibiotics for the treatment and prevention of bacterial diseases leads to a significant increase in the antibacterial resistance of microorganisms through its acquisition either through exogenous resistance genes or chromosomal mutations [1]. This stimulates not only the search for new antibacterial drugs, but also possible alternatives to the latter [2,3]. The scientists are tasked to find substances that effectively act simultaneously on Gram-positive, Gram-negative microorganisms and fungi, which are independent of the antibiotic resistance of the microorganism.

Silver and its compounds have been used in medicine since ancient times. Mass application of silver preparations began in the seventies of the 19th century [4,5]. Since then, numerous confirmations of antiviral, antibacterial, and immunomodulating activity of silver preparations have been received [6]. With the invention of antibiotics, which have more pronounced antibacterial properties, interest in the therapeutic properties of silver dramatically decreased. However, widespread use of antibiotics revealed by the end of the 20th century a number of their shortcomings and silver preparations were again actively studied and used [7].

The mechanism of antimicrobial effect of silver was carefully studied previously. It has now been established that silver ions are selectively toxic with respect to prokaryotic microorganisms with a weak effect on eukaryotic cells [6], including comparatively minimal toxicity to mammalian cells [8]. This is due to the fact that the concentration of silver ions or silver nanoparticles necessary for the death of prokaryotic cells (bacteria) is much lower than the concentration that causes the death of eukaryotic cells, including cells of the human body [9].

It should be noted that new prospects for the use of silver in medicine are opened in connection with the development of nanotechnology, an interdisciplinary field of science that deals with the creation, production and application of structures, devices and systems ranging in size from 1 to 1000 nm, although in practice they use the sizes ranging from 1 to 100 nm more often [10]. It is proved that the metal nanoparticles have unique properties, often differing from that of the solid metal [10]. This is due to the fact that the surface/bulk energy ratio of nanoparticles is much larger than that of compact metal [11].

As applied to medicine, this means that the nature of the interaction of a nanoparticle with a bacterium or fungus is significantly different from the impact of a compact metal on them and probably enhances their bactericidal or fungicidal activity [10].

Localized surface plasmon resonance is an optical phenomenon that is generated when light interacts with conductive nanoparticles that are smaller than the incident wavelength [12]. From the point of view of antibacterial properties of (silver nanoparticles) AgNPs, it is interesting to study how these properties change when plasmon resonance effect occurs.

One of the ecological and effective methods for producing mono- and bi-metallic nanoparticles and materials based on them is the metal-vapor synthesis (MVS). The method was used for preparation of silver-containing composite materials for medical applications [13]. It is assumed that MVS will be effective for the modification of wound dressings prepared from natural or synthetic materials with AgNPs.

In this regard, the wide introduction of dressings containing AgNPs correctly combined with the plasmon resonance effect can play a significant role in improving treatment of purulent wounds in the era of increasing antibiotic resistance of microorganisms.

The aim of this research is to study the antibacterial effect of a new dressing material, based on gauze bandage containing AgNPs prepared by MVS, and changing this effect under the influence of laser radiation.
