Evaluation of fish skin as a biological dressing for metacarpal wounds in donkeys

Ahmed Ibrahim,Saber Kotb,Magda M Ali,Mahmoud Soliman

doi:10.1186/s12917-020-02693-w

Abstract

BackgroundThe use of biological dressings has recently emerged in the management of burns and wounds. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the Nile tilapia skin as a biological dressing for full-thickness cutaneous metacarpal wounds in donkeys. The study was conducted on nine clinically healthy donkeys (n = 9). Here, fish skin dressings were obtained from fresh Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus and sterilized by immersion in silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) solution for 5 min, with no change in collagen content. Bilateral, circular full-thickness excisional skin wounds (2 cm in diameter) were created on the dorsal aspect of the mid-metacarpals of each donkey. Wounds on the right metacarpals (treated wounds, n = 9) were dressed with sterile fish skins, while wounds on the left metacarpals (control wounds, n = 9) were dressed with sterile non-adherent dressing pads without any topical applications. Wound dressings were changed weekly. Wounds were evaluated microbiologically, grossly, and histologically on days 7, 14, and 21 post-wound inductions.ResultsFish skin-dressed wounds showed a significant (P < 0.0001) reduction in microbial counts (Total viable bacterial count, Staphylococcal count, and Coliform count), a significant (P < 0.0001) decrease in the wound size, and a significant reduction (P < 0.0001) in the epithelial gap compared to the untreated wounds. No frequent dressing changes were needed.ConclusionsFish skin dressing accelerated the wound healing process and efficiently inhibited the local microbial activity and exuberant granulation tissue formation suggesting its reliable and promising application for metacarpal wounds of donkeys.

Highlights

The use of biological dressings has recently emerged in the management of burns and wounds
Microbiological evaluation of Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)-treated fish skin All bacteriological swabs of AgNPs treated fish skin strips showed no microbial growth on the four bacteriological media
Histological and histochemical evaluation of AgNPstreated fish skin Histological analysis of the fish skin treated or not with the AgNPs revealed that the collagen fibers were compactly arranged, well organized, and distributed in a parallel pattern without disaggregation (Fig. 1a)

Summary

Introduction

The use of biological dressings has recently emerged in the management of burns and wounds. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the Nile tilapia skin as a biological dressing for full-thickness cutaneous metacarpal wounds in donkeys. Wounds of the distal limbs of equines are common and represent more than 60% of all wounds These wounds are more problematic than others located elsewhere in the body due to its high susceptibility to contamination, the poor healing nature, and high tendency to form exuberant granulation tissue [1]. Fish skin has been used for the first time as a biological wound dressing for the secondand third-degree burns of humans in Brazil. Fish skin dressing enhanced the wound healing process and reduced the need for pain medications [9]

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