In Vivo Activity of Hydrogen-Peroxide Generating Electrochemical Bandage Against Murine Wound Infections

Biofilms formed by antibiotic-resistant bacteria in wound beds challenge the treatment of wound infections. In this work, the activity of a novel electrochemical bandage (e-bandage) composed of carbon fabric and controlled by a wearable potentiostat, designed to continuously deliver low amounts of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), is evaluated against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDR-PA) and mixed-species (MRSA and MDR-PA) wound infections. Wounds created on Swiss Webster mice are infected with the above-named bacteria and biofilms allow to establish in wound beds for 3 days. e-Bandages, which electrochemically reduce dissolved oxygen to H2O2 when polarized at -0.6 V-Ag/AgCl, are placed atop infected wound beds and polarized continuously for 48 h. Polarized e-bandage treatment results in significant reductions (p <0.001) of both monospecies and mixed-species wound infections. After e-bandage treatment, electron microscopy shows degradation of bacterial cells, and histopathology shows no obvious alterations to the inflammatory host response. Blood biochemistries show no abnormalities. Taken all together, results of this work suggest that the described H2O2-producing e-bandage can reduce in vivo MRSA, MDR-PA, and mixed-species wound biofilms, and should be further developed as a potential antibiotic-free strategy for treatment of wound infections.

Automated summary

A novel electrochemical bandage composed of carbon fabric and controlled by a wearable potentiostat is evaluated for its effectiveness against antibiotic-resistant bacterial biofilms in wound infections. The bandage, which continuously delivers low amounts of hydrogen peroxide, shows significant reductions in both monospecies and mixed-species wound infections without causing adverse reactions.