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Updated: Jun 10, 2026
A Novel High-Throughput Ex Vivo Ovine Skin Wound Model for Testing Emerging Antibiotics
Published on: September 16, 2022
In vitro microbial inhibition and cellular response to novel biodegradable composite wound dressings with controlled
J J Elsner1, I Berdicevsky, M Zilberman
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
Abstract:
About 70% of all people with severe burns die from related infections, despite advances in treatment regimens and the best efforts of nurses and doctors. Although silver-eluting wound dressings are available for addressing this problem, there is growing evidence of the deleterious effects of such dressings in delaying the healing process owing to cellular toxicity. A new concept of antibiotic-eluting composite wound dressings is described here. These dressings are based on a polyglyconate mesh coated with a porous poly-(dl-lactic-co-glycolic acid) matrix loaded with antibiotic drugs. The effect of antibiotic release on bacterial inhibition was studied, and cell cytotoxicity was examined. The dressings resulted in a 99.99% decrease in the viable counts of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus albus at very high initial inoculations of 10⁷-10⁸ CFU ml⁻¹ after only 1 day, while such a decrease in Staphylococcus aureus was obtained within 3 days. Bacterial inhibition zones around the dressing material were found to persist for 2 weeks, indicating a long-lasting antimicrobial effect. Despite severe toxicity to bacteria, the dressing material was found to have no toxic effect on cultured fibroblasts, indicating that the new antibiotic-eluting wound dressings represent an effective option for selective treatment of bacterial infections.
Insights
New antibiotic-eluting wound dressings effectively inhibit bacterial infections in severe burns, showing significant bacterial reduction without harming skin cells. This offers a safer alternative to silver dressings that can impede healing.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Infectious Disease Research
- Wound Healing Technology
Background:
- Severe burn infections cause high mortality despite advanced treatments.
- Existing silver-eluting dressings may delay wound healing due to cellular toxicity.
- Novel wound dressings are needed to combat infection without compromising healing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate novel antibiotic-eluting composite wound dressings.
- To assess the efficacy of these dressings in bacterial inhibition.
- To determine the cytotoxicity of the dressings on human cells.
Main Methods:
- Composite wound dressings were fabricated using a polyglyconate mesh coated with a porous poly-(dl-lactic-co-glycolic acid) matrix loaded with antibiotics.
- The impact of antibiotic release on bacterial inhibition was studied against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus albus, and Staphylococcus aureus.
- Cell cytotoxicity was examined using cultured fibroblasts.
Main Results:
- Dressings achieved a 99.99% reduction in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus albus viable counts within 1 day at high inoculations.
- A similar reduction for Staphylococcus aureus was observed within 3 days.
- Antimicrobial effects persisted for 2 weeks, and the dressing material showed no toxicity to cultured fibroblasts.
Conclusions:
- The novel antibiotic-eluting composite wound dressings demonstrate potent and long-lasting antimicrobial activity.
- These dressings selectively target bacteria without causing toxicity to human cells, unlike some silver-based alternatives.
- This technology presents a promising and safe therapeutic option for managing bacterial infections in severe burn wounds.