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There is limited evidence indicating that drug-eluting dressings are clinically more effective than simple conventional dressings. To shed light on this concern, we have performed evidence-based research to evaluate the antimicrobial action of thymol (THY)-loaded antimicrobial dressings having antibiofilm forming ability, able to eradicate intracellular and extracellular pathogenic bacteria. We have used four different Staphylococcus aureus strains, including the ATCC 25923 strain, the Newman strain (methicillin-sensitive strain, MSSA) expressing the coral green fluorescent protein from the vector pCN47, and two clinical reference strains, Newman-(MSSA) and USA300-(methicillin-resistant strain), as traceable models of pathogenic bacteria commonly infecting skin and soft tissues. Compared to non-loaded dressings, THY-loaded polycaprolactone-based electrospun dressings were also able to eliminate pathogenic bacteria in coculture models based on infected murine macrophages. In addition, by using confocal microscopy and the conventional microdilution plating method, we corroborated the successful ability of THY in preventing also biofilm formation. Herein, we demonstrated that the use of wound dressings loaded with the natural monoterpenoid phenol derivative THY are able to eliminate biofilm formation and intracellular methicillin-sensitive S aureus more efficiently than with their corresponding THY-free counterparts.

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