Electricity instead of antibiotics

Electronic bandages with hydrogen peroxide treat wound infections without antibiotics

Igor Tinov, discover24

According to a new study conducted in the United States by specialists from the Mayo Clinic and Washington State University, electronic bandages can become an effective alternative to antibiotics in the treatment of wound infections. This is reported by the press release of the American Society of Microbiologists Hydrogen Peroxide E-Bandages Treat Wound Infections.

In a recent joint study by Mayo Clinic specialists conducted on mice, innovative electrochemical dressings producing hydrogen peroxide were successfully tested. Under the control of wearable voltage supply devices, bandages applied to a wound in which biofilm bacteria resistant to methicillin Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were present eliminated the source of infection after 2 days of treatment.

Today, in people with wound injuries, typical treatment involves cleaning the wound using various solutions, including hydrogen peroxide, applying antiseptic creams or ointments, and sometimes administering antibiotics. If the wounds do not heal, they can go into a chronic stage, which is especially difficult to cope with.

Studies have shown that chronic wounds often contain so–called biofilms - communities of microorganisms that attach to surfaces. The bacteria present in such biofilms can multiply and resist the effects of antibiotics, so they are difficult to treat even with prolonged exposure. In addition, prolonged use of antibiotics often leads to the selection of particularly antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Wounds covered with biofilm are often found in older patients, diabetic or immunocompromised patients.

 "Wound infections are common and can be difficult to treat. Thus, it is important to develop new strategies, technologies and treatment regimens that do not depend on antibiotics," said lead author of the study Yash Raval, senior researcher in the Department of Clinical Microbiology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester (Minnesota).

A solution of hydrogen peroxide is very often used to treat wounds. Although it has antibacterial and wound-healing properties, this solution is chemically unstable and therefore its effect is short-lived. Dr. Raval and his colleagues have developed electronic bandages for the continuous production of hydrogen peroxide for the treatment of wound infections.

 "In particular, we have developed and investigated the antibacterial properties of a new type of dressing that continuously produces hydrogen peroxide due to the application of a certain negative voltage," Dr. Raval explained.

In a test experiment, the researchers created wounds on mice and infected them with MRSA to create appropriate biofilms on the wounds. They then treated the infected wounds with a wearable electronic bandage. As a result, new electronic dressings producing hydrogen peroxide reduced the bacterial biofilm population by 99 percent. The results of this study were presented at ASM Microbe 2022, the annual meeting of the American Society of Microbiologists.

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