Fighting Off Wound Pathogens in Horses with Honeybee Lactic Acid Bacteria

Abstract

In the global perspective of antibiotic resistance, it is urgent to find potent topical antibiotics for the use in human and animal infection. Healing of equine wounds, particularly in the limbs, is difficult due to hydrostatic factors and exposure to environmental contaminants, which can lead to heavy bio-burden/biofilm formation and sometimes to infection. Therefore, antibiotics are often prescribed. Recent studies have shown that honeybee-specific lactic acid bacteria (LAB), involved in honey production, and inhibit human wound pathogens. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the effects on the healing of hard-to-heal equine wounds after treatment with these LAB symbionts viable in a heather honey formulation. For this, we included ten horses with wound duration of >1 year, investigated the wound microbiota, and treated wounds with the novel honeybee LAB formulation. We identified the microbiota using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and DNA sequencing. In addition, the antimicrobial properties of the honeybee LAB formulation were tested against all wound isolates in vitro. Our results indicate a diverse wound microbiota including fifty-three bacterial species that showed 90 % colonization by at least one species of Staphylococcus. Treatment with the formulation promoted wound healing in all cases already after the first application and the wounds were either completely healed (n = 3) in less than 20 days or healing was in progress. Furthermore, the honeybee LAB formulation inhibited all pathogens when tested in vitro. Consequently, this new treatment option presents as a powerful candidate for the topical treatment of hard-to-heal wounds in horses.

The Cutaneous Microbiome and Wounds: New Molecular Targets to Promote Wound Healing

“…Similarly, Argenta et al showed that L. plantarum showed an 80% decrease in mortality in a pseudomonas-infection porcine burn model [ 104 ]. Another possible treatment for hard to heal wounds that deserves further exploration is Honeybee lactic acid bacteria; when applied to chronic equine wounds this microbe promoted wound healing in all cases and inhibited the growth of all pathogens in vivo [ 105 ]. In line with this, honey alone has been shown to improve burn wound reepithelization rate despite a higher bacterial load when compared to 1% Silver Sulphadiazine in a porcine model [ 106 ].…”

Intralesional application of medical grade honey improves healing of surgically treated lacerations in horses

“…compared the efficacy of 11 different honey products on 10 strains of bacteria recovered from wounds of horses, including MRSA and P. aeruginosa and found that eight products were effective against all bacterial isolates . A recent study in horses, showed that bacterial bee symbionts that reside in honey (LAB‐ Lactic Acid Bacteria) produce specific formulations that proved to have effective antibacterial properties both in vitro and in vivo .…”

Role of Topical Biological Therapies and Dressings in Healing Ischemic Wounds

“…38,87 Honey derivatives such as propolis, royal jelly, and honeybee lactic acid bacteria are biological products that have been recently used in advanced wound therapies for promoting wound healing in chronic lower extremity wounds. [99][100][101][102][103][104] Recently, honey has been widely used, since it could provide a moist healing environment, rapidly debride and remove the bacterial burden, deodorize, reduce inflammation, decrease edema, control and dilute exudation, and due to its autolytic debridement. Also, it has the ability to promote tissue regeneration.…”

“…38,87 Honey derivatives such as propolis, royal jelly, and honeybee lactic acid bacteria are biological products that have been recently used in advanced wound therapies for promoting wound healing in chronic lower extremity wounds. 99-104…”