Chitosan based substrates for wound infection detection based on increased lysozyme activity.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Diagnostic Technologies
• Wound Care

Background:

• Early detection of wound infections is critical for effective treatment.
• Lysozyme activity increases in infected wound fluids, serving as a key biomarker.
• Current diagnostic methods lack point-of-care accessibility for rapid infection assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop functionalized chitosan substrates for visual detection of lysozyme.
• To create novel biomaterials responsive to lysozyme activity for wound infection diagnosis.
• To evaluate the efficacy of these substrates in detecting infection biomarkers in wound fluids.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of N-acetyl chitosan with a 50% acetylation degree for efficient lysozyme hydrolysis.
• Functionalization of N-acetylated chitosan and chitosan-starch composites with dyes.
• Incubation of substrates with lysozyme in buffer, artificial wound fluid, and human wound fluid.
• Visual assessment of color change as an indicator of lysozyme activity.

Main Results:

• Lysozyme-responsive materials released colored hydrolysis products within 2 hours in buffer and artificial wound fluid.
• Human wound fluid from infected wounds showed a clear visual color change after 2.5 hours.
• Increased substrate swelling in chitosan/starch composites correlated with faster lysozyme hydrolysis.

Conclusions:

• Functionalized chitosan substrates demonstrate potential for point-of-care diagnosis of wound infections.
• The developed lysozyme-responsive materials offer a visual and rapid diagnostic approach.
• These substrates can be incorporated into devices for early and accessible wound infection detection.