Wound Dressing Signals Presence of Toxic Bacteria

An innovative medical dressing detects the first signs of the lethal Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) along with other burn wound infections, potentially saving the lives of children with serious burns.

Researchers at the University of Bath (United Kingdom) and Frenchay Hospital (Bristol, United Kingdom) have developed a prototype dressing that incorporates nanocapsules triggered by the presence of pathogenic bacteria. When the toxic bacteria are detected, the nanocapsules release a dye that fluoresces under ultraviolet (UV) light, alerting healthcare professionals that the wound is infected. Importantly, the nanocapsules mimic skin cells in that they only break open when toxic bacteria are present, and do not respond to harmless bacteria that normally live on healthy skin.


“Around 5,000 children a year in England and Wales are hospitalized or treated in hospital with serious burns, mostly scalds caused by tea and coffee. The big problem for clinicians is the fast diagnosis of infection. Current methods take between 24 and 48 hours to get an answer as to whether the wound is infected,” said project leader Toby Jenkins, PhD, reader in Biophysical Chemistry at Bath. “Our burn dressing gives a simple color change under UV light if a pathogenic disease-causing bacterium is present in the burn, meaning clinicians can be alerted quickly to a potential infection.”

“At the moment when a child with a small burn develops a high temperature we have no easy way of knowing if the child has a serious bacterial infection, or simply a cough or cold,” added pediatric anesthetist Amber Young, MD, of Frenchay Hospital. “We currently have to remove the dressing to test for infection, which may result in slower healing and potentially life-long scarring, and is very distressing for the child. This new dressing will mean we will be able to detect the early signs of infection so we can diagnose and treat the child quickly.”

TSS is a potentially fatal illness caused by a bacterial toxin, and is a serious complication of burn infections, particularly dangerous in children under four due to their immature immune systems; if left untreated, TSS can rapidly deteriorate within a few hours, and 50% of children who develop full-blown disease may die. Potential causative bacteria include Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes.

Related Links:
University of Bath
Frenchay Hospital