Intelligent Wound Dressing for Wound Infection Management and Diagnosis at Point of Care

DOI: 10.5176/2251-3833_GHC16.54

Authors: N. T. Thet, D. R. Alves, J. E. Bean,1 S. Booth, J. Nzakizwanayo2, A. E. R. Young, B. V. Jones, A. T. A. Jenkins

Abstract:Here we present the development of a prototype wound dressing that can detect the infection in wounds. The dressing is made of a hydrated agarose sheet in which a mixture of fluorescent dye containing vesicles and agarose are dispersed within the hydrogel matrix. The release of dye is triggered by the interaction of vesicles with virulence factors, secreted within the biofilms via population-densitydependent quorum sensing, from clinical pathogens of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis (SPE pathogen group). The dressing only activates when in contact with wound biofilm of pathogenic bacteria in infected wounds, but not to the biofilms of non-pathogenic bacteria.

Keywords: Hydrogel dressing, Wound biofilm, Wound infectio,n Vesicles, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis