Nanotechnology Meets the Clinic: Using Chitosan/Silver Nanocomposites to Target Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections During Burn Wound Therapy

Abstract

Burn wounds represent a severe breach in the skin as a physical defense mechanism that leaves the mammalian host highly susceptible to Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. The intrinsic resistance of P. aeruginosa to common antibiotics presents a problem in burn units worldwide. Despite recent developments in alternative treatments, such as bacteriophage therapy and vaccines, the lethal potential of P. aeruginosa remains ineffectively addressed. However, recent treatment strategies using chitosan/silver nanocomposites (CS/Ag-NCs) with distinct synergistic bacteriostatic and bactericidal activities represent a versatile multifunctional approach to combating P. aeruginosa wound colonization. CS/Ag-NCs possess innate wound healing and tissue regeneration properties, which stem from their hemostatic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cell proliferation-promoting activities. In addition, CS/Ag-NCs have excellent potential for enhancing burn wound dressings, such as membranes, sponges, nanofibers, and hydrogels impregnated with CS/Ag-NCs, conferring a multitude of advantages over traditional clinical dressings. By addressing the global burden of P. aeruginosa infections in civilian and military settings, it is possible to combat the alarming increase in antimicrobial resistance more effectively.