Comparative study of antibacterial effects and bacterial retentivity of wound dressings

We are often confused on selecting a suitable wound dressing for the treatment of infected wounds from huge number of available wound dressings. Then, to help clinicians easily select a wound dressing, we compared the antibacterial effects and bacterial retentivity (ie, potency of keeping absorbed bacteria inside wound dressings and preventing them from leaking out) of wound dressings.

Five wound dressings with antibacterial constituents were compared to research antibacterial effects against nonpathogenic Escherichia coli using an in vitro model. The 5 other wound dressings with no antibacterial constituent were compared to research bacterial retentivity. The relative amount of E coli was determined using cell proliferation reagent WST-1 (11644807001, Roche Applied Science, United States) with time.

The results have shown that the antibacterial effects and bacterial retentivity differed among various wound dressings. Silver ions quickly exerted a very strong antibacterial effect, and hydrofibers had a high potency of bacterial retentivity by gelling the absorbed bacteria in wound dressings.

The present study indicated the differences of antibacterial strength, time of onset and duration of the antibacterial effect, and bacterial retentivity between each wound dressing. Clinicians should use appropriate wound dressings according the wound condition in consideration of the different characteristics of wound dressings. The present results are helpful for clinicians to select appropriate wound dressing.