A comparative study of the effect of different topical agents on burn wound infections

Abstract

Background:Topical agents are used to treat burn wound infections.Aims and Objective:The present work was aimed to find out the in vitro efficacy of different topical agents against burn wound pathogens.Settings and Design:Randomly selected gram-positive (29) and gram-negative bacterial (119) isolates from burn wound cases admitted in burn unit of Choithram Hospital and Research Centre, Indore, were included in the in vitro activity testing for silver nitrate, silver sulphadiazine (SSD), chlorhexidine, cetrimide, nitrofuran, soframycin, betadine, benzalkonium chloride and honey by growth inhibition on agar medium.Materials and Methods:Multidrug-resistant isolates of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria were checked for different topical agents. 1% topical agent was mixed with Mueller-Hinton agar. Two microlitres of bacterial suspension adjusted to 0.5 McFarland turbidity standard was spread over the topical agent containing plates. The plates without the topical agent were used as control plates. The plates were incubated for 48 h at 37°C.Results:SSD (148/148), silver nitrate (148/148) and chlorhexidine (148/148) showed excellent activity against all the pathogens. Neosporin had poor activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, (4/44) Proteus spp. (2/4) and group D streptococci (1/4). Betadine did not show activity against the bacterial isolates in the presence of organic matter. Honey did not exert any antimicrobial activity under the study conditions.Conclusion:SSD, silver nitrate and chlorhexidine have excellent activity against all the bacterial pathogens and could be used empirically, while identification of the infective agent is required for selecting the alternative topical agents such as nitrofuran, soframycin, and benzalkonium chloride.

Propolis Induces Chondroitin/Dermatan Sulphate and Hyaluronic Acid Accumulation in the Skin of Burned Wound

“…It allowed us to apply the experimental model of tissue repair in order to compare the therapeutic efficacy of propolis with AgSD being the agent of choice for the outpatient management of minor burns [1]. The burn treatment with AgSD is known to exert side effects not observed during burn management with propolis [19].…”

“…Local burn treatment is based on the application of silver sulfadiazine (AgSD) which, since its introduction into clinical practice by Fox, has been the agent of choice for topical burn therapy [1]. AgSD is an effective agent in controlling the infection of the burned skin.…”

Microwave Saturation of Complex EPR Spectra and Free Radicals of Burnt Skin Treated with Apitherapeutic Agent

“…The animals were divided into control and experimental group, each containing one pig. Control wound was treated with silver sulfadiazine to observe the healing process, occurring after application of the agent of choice in the local burn treatment [8], twice a day, from the 1st to the 5th day of the experiment. Experimental wounds were treated with propolis, twice a day, from the 1st to the 5th day of the experiment.…”

Topical Antimicrobials for Burn Infections – An Update

“…Although numerous patents have been issued for iodine preparations that can be applied to burn wounds, their efficacy has been disputed. In a study that tested various, well established drugs in burn wound treatments such as SSD, SN, chlorhexidine and a PVPI ointment for their in vitro antimicrobial potency against bacteria isolated from infected burn wounds, the PVPI ointment failed to show any antimicrobial activity against the isolates [215]. Nevertheless, compositions containing iodine listed on Table 6 have been patented and have been claimed as suitable for treating burn wounds.…”

“…A clinical research reported that CH was able to show antimicrobial activity against bacteria isolated from infected wounds of burn patients [215]. A device that contains CH was patented by Rucinski [243] for therapeutic wound irrigation and wound infection prophylaxis.…”