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Use of chitosan bandage to prevent fatal infections developing from highly contaminated wounds in mice
Marina Burkatovskaya1, George P Tegos, Emilia Swietlik
1Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Abstract:
HemCon bandage is an engineered chitosan acetate preparation used as a hemostatic control dressing, and its chemical structure suggests that it should also be antimicrobial. We tested its ability to rapidly kill bacteria in vitro and in mouse models of infected wounds. We used the Gram-negative species Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus mirabilis and the Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus that had all been stably transduced with the entire bacterial lux operon to allow in vivo bioluminescence imaging. An excisional wound in Balb/c mice was inoculated with 50-250 million cells followed after 30 min by application of HemCon bandage, alginate sponge bandage, silver sulfadiazine cream or no treatment. HemCon was more adhesive to the wound and conformed well to the injury compared to alginate. Animal survival was followed over 15 days with observations of bioluminescence emission and animal activity daily. Chitosan acetate treated mice infected with P. aeruginosa and P. mirabilis all survived while those receiving no treatment, alginate and silver sulfadiazine demonstrated 25-100% mortality. Chitosan acetate was much more effective than other treatments in rapidly reducing bioluminescence in the wound consistent with its rapid bactericidal activity in vitro as well as its light-scattering properties. S. aureus formed only non-lethal localized infections after temporary immunosuppression of the mice but HemCon was again more effective in reducing bioluminescence. The data suggest that chitosan acetate rapidly kills bacteria in the wound before systemic invasion can take place, and is superior to alginate bandage and silver sulfadiazine that may both encourage bacterial growth in the short term.
Insights
The HemCon bandage, a chitosan acetate preparation, demonstrated potent antimicrobial properties by rapidly killing bacteria in infected wounds. This hemostatic dressing significantly improved survival rates in mice compared to other treatments.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Infectious Diseases
- Wound Healing
Background:
- HemCon bandage is an engineered chitosan acetate preparation designed for hemostatic control.
- Its chemical structure suggests potential antimicrobial activity.
- Bacterial infections in wounds pose significant challenges to healing and patient survival.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the in vitro and in vivo antimicrobial efficacy of the HemCon bandage (chitosan acetate).
- To compare the performance of HemCon bandage against alginate sponge bandage and silver sulfadiazine cream in infected wound models.
- To assess the impact of HemCon bandage on bacterial load reduction and animal survival.
Main Methods:
- In vitro bactericidal assays against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, and Staphylococcus aureus.
- In vivo study using an excisional wound model in Balb/c mice inoculated with lux-operon-transduced bacteria.
- Application of HemCon bandage, alginate sponge bandage, silver sulfadiazine cream, or no treatment post-infection.
- Monitoring of animal survival, bioluminescence imaging for bacterial load, and wound observation over 15 days.
Main Results:
- HemCon bandage exhibited superior adhesion and conformity to wounds compared to alginate.
- Chitosan acetate treatment resulted in 100% survival for mice infected with P. aeruginosa and P. mirabilis, contrasting with 25-100% mortality in other groups.
- HemCon rapidly reduced wound bioluminescence, indicating significant bacterial killing, superior to alginate and silver sulfadiazine.
- While S. aureus infections were generally non-lethal, HemCon was more effective in reducing bioluminescence.
Conclusions:
- Chitosan acetate demonstrates rapid and effective bactericidal activity in infected wounds, preventing systemic invasion.
- HemCon bandage is superior to alginate bandage and silver sulfadiazine cream for managing infected wounds, potentially by preventing short-term bacterial growth.
- The findings support the use of HemCon bandage as an effective antimicrobial hemostatic dressing.
