Review Identifies Advancements, Gaps in Treating Wound Biofilms

Wound biofilms are increasingly antibiotic-resistant. Current treatment and diagnostic options are hampered by the biofilm environment complexity.

According to 2021 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, biofilm-associated infections are associated with approximately 1.7 million hospital-acquired infections. They also are associated with more than a half-million deaths annually, and treatment costs have reached $94 billion USD annually.

Therefore, the researchers—funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Wellcome Trust, Medical Research Council, MedImmune, Infinitus, and the National Biofilms Innovation Centre—reviewed existing methods for biofilm detection and eradication.

With a limited number of reviews to date focused on detecting and eradicating biofilms that form on wound sites, this research review focused on novel, sensor-based approaches demonstrating potential for early, accurate detection of biofilm formation on wound sites, chemical specificity, and biocompatibility that can be translated to point-of-care settings with minimal patient inconvenience.

The researchers noted biofilm detection techniques are categorized into microbiology assays, molecular assays, and imaging assays. They also examined specific bacterial species and wound biofilm extracellular polymeric substances sensors, sensors to indicate environmental parameters such as pH and temperature, and enzyme sensors.

Novel methods include ultrasonography debridement, metal-based nanoparticles (NPs), polymeric NPs, and metal oxide-based NPs.

With each biofilm treatment strategy presenting advantages and disadvantages, “The next breakthrough in drug delivery for wound infections will likely come from a combination of recent innovations,” the researchers noted.

“With this review, we hope to draw the attention of scientists with expertise in sensor technology, drug delivery, and microbiology to the pressing issue of wound biofilms and, through discussing exciting new technologies and chemical avenues, to stimulate further work in these areas,” researchers noted.

Reference

Darvishi S, Tavakoli S, Kharaziha M, Girault HH, Kaminski CF, Mela I. Advances in the sensing and treatment of wound biofilms. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2022;61(13):e202112218. doi.10.1002/anie.20211221