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ROLE OF BACTERIAL BIOFILMS IN CHRONIC WOUNDS
Author(s) -
Ngo Q.,
Vickery K.,
Deva A. K.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
anz journal of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.426
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-2197
pISSN - 1445-1433
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-2197.2007.04127_20.x
Subject(s) - biofilm , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , debridement (dental) , chronic wound , bacteria , pathology , pseudomonas aeruginosa , wound healing , biology , immunology , surgery , genetics
Purpose Bacterial biofilms are highly organised microbial communities living within a protective extracellular matrix. They are difficult to detect and highly resistant to immune or antibiotic killing. It has been suggested that biofilm presence may contribute to the intractable inflammatory processes seen in chronic wounds. Method Twelve chronic wound samples from eight different patients were collected as part of routine debridement. These were examined for biofilm presence using light microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, electron microscopy, and Fluorescent In Situ Hybridisation (FISH) technique. Microbiological profiles were established based on wound swabs. Results Histological and microscopic evidence of bacterial biofilms were observed in 7 out of 12 wounds. These were mostly found within the necrotic upper layer of the wound. A range of organisms were identified from swabs including the commonly isolated wound bacteria S.aureus, E.Coli, P.aeruginosa, and mixed anaerobes. Conclusion Bacterial biofilms were found in almost two‐third of chronic wounds examined. Given the patchy nature of its occurrence and the small area sampled in each biopsy, the true incidence could be much higher. The necrotic surface layer of wounds appeared to be more conducive to biofilm formation than deeper viable tissues. Such biofilms may then serve as niduses for continual bacterial seeding that perpetuate the inflammatory process seen in these wounds.