Approach to chronic wound infections

Area of Science:

• Wound healing
• Infectious disease
• Antimicrobial resistance

Background:

• Infection is a primary cause of delayed healing in chronic open wounds.
• Biofilms complicate wound infection diagnosis and management, contributing to prolonged inflammation and delayed healing.
• Systemic infection, sepsis, and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome are life-threatening risks of neglected chronic wound infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the role of infection and biofilms in chronic wound healing.
• To evaluate the efficacy of topical antimicrobials (antiseptics) versus antibiotics in managing chronic wound infections.
• To highlight the importance of controlling biofilms in chronic wound management.

Main Methods:

• Literature review on chronic wound infection, biofilms, and antimicrobial treatments.
• Analysis of the mechanisms of action for antiseptics and antibiotics.
• Discussion of antimicrobial resistance trends and their implications for wound care.

Main Results:

• Biofilms contribute to excessive inflammation and delayed healing in chronic wounds.
• Topical antiseptics demonstrate effectiveness through multiple mechanisms, making resistance development unlikely.
• Antibiotics should be reserved for severe infections due to rising antimicrobial resistance and a lack of new drug development.

Conclusions:

• Controlling biofilms is crucial for effective chronic wound management.
• Antiseptics are a preferred option for managing chronic wound infections and biofilms over antibiotics.
• Further research with randomized controlled trials is needed to support the use of antiseptic dressings for biofilm prevention and management.