Silver complexes of poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers as well as different {silver−PAMAM} dendrimer nanocomposite solutions have been tested in vitro against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli bacteria, using the standard agar overlay method. Both PAMAM silver salts and nanocomposites displayed considerable antimicrobial activity without the loss of solubility and activity, even in the presence of sulfate or chloride ions.

A chitosan dressing reduced hemorrhage and improved survival after severe liver injury in swine. Further studies are warranted.

We report on the use of optical techniques to monitor and treat Pseudomonas aeruginosa wound infections in mice. Bioluminescent bacteria transduced with a plasmid containing a bacterial lux gene operon allow the infection in excisional mouse wounds to be imaged by use of a sensitive charge-coupled device camera. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) targeted bacteria, by use of a polycationic photosensitizer conjugate, which is designed to penetrate the gram-negative cell wall and was topically applied to the wound and was followed by red-light illumination. There was a rapid light dose-dependent loss of luminescence, as measured by image analysis, in the wounds treated with conjugate and light, a loss that was not seen in untreated wounds, wounds treated with light alone, or wounds treated with conjugate alone. P. aeruginosa was invasive in our mouse model, and all 3 groups of control mice died within 5 days; in contrast, 90% of PDT-treated mice survived. PDT-treated wounds healed significantly faster than did silver nitrate-treated wounds, and this was not due to either inhibition of healing by silver nitrate or stimulation of healing by PDT.

The hemorrhage model allowed differentiation among topical hemostatic agents for severe hemorrhage. The American Red Cross hemostatic dressing was effective and warrants further development.