In-vitro Activity of Honey and Topical Silver in Wound Care Management.

Background: With the rise of multidrug resistance among pathogens, especially in wound care management is of great concern. Hence, we designed to study the in-vitro activity of topical agents honey and silver against wound infection and compares silver and honey dressings used in wound care.

Methods: 172 isolates from burn and surgical wounds were isolated from patients admitted to Nursing College, Changchun University Of Chinese Medicine, China during 2013-2014 are included in the study. 59 Pseudomonas, 41 E.coli, 28 S aureus, 25 Klebsiella pneumoniae, 11 Proteus, 8 Acinetobacter were isolated. Susceptibility testing for honey and silver nitrate was done using the agar dilution method. 80 patients were divided into 2 groups. Type 1 used Algivon with UMF12 honey coated dressing for 40 patients and the other 40 patients received Type II used Acti-coat silver absorbent dressings. 30 patients received ordinary dressings were included as control group patients.

Results: 50/59 (84.7%) Pseudomonas spp, 39 (95.1%) of E.coli and 26/28 (92.9%) S. aureus were sensitive for silver nitrate. K. pneumoniae, Proteus spp and Acinetobacter spp showed 100% sensitivity for silver nitrate by agar dilution method. All the isolates showed 100% sensitivity for honey at concentration. In type I - honey coated dressings consist of 40 patients with 18 (45%) male and 22 (55%) female patients. Type II - silver-coated dressings consist of 40 patients with 24 (60%) females and 16 (40%) male patients.

Conclusion: This study results showed positive efforts on improvising in wound dressings as a replacement to lower antimicrobial resistance and limit racial use of antibiotics.