Therapeutic Efficacy of Halocidin-Derived Peptide HG1 in a Mouse Model of Surgical Wound Infection with Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

We evaluated the therapeutic potential of HG1, an antimicrobial peptide, as a novel topical antibiotic by the use of a mouse surgical wound model of infection with methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus . First, we attempted to determine whether or not HG1 infiltrated into the dermis when topically administered. Second, we evaluated the antibiotic effects of HG1 on skin infection via bacterial-enumeration and microscopic analyses. The results showed that topically administered HG1 was capable of penetrating into the dermis at the infection site, where it exerted its antimicrobial effects.