Biofilms in chronic wounds
Abstract
Chronic wounds including diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers, and venous leg ulcers are a worldwide health problem. It has been speculated that bacteria colonizing chronic wounds exist as highly persistent biofilm communities. This research examined chronic and acute wounds for biofilms and characterized microorganisms inhabiting these wounds. Chronic wound specimens were obtained from 77 subjects and acute wound specimens were obtained from 16 subjects. Culture data were collected using standard clinical techniques. Light and scanning electron microscopy techniques were used to analyze 50 of the chronic wound specimens and the 16 acute wound specimens. Molecular analyses were performed on the remaining 27 chronic wound specimens using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and sequence analysis. Of the 50 chronic wound specimens evaluated by microscopy, 30 were characterized as containing biofilm (60%), whereas only one of the 16 acute wound specimens was characterized as containing biofilm (6%). This was a statistically significant difference ( p <0.001). Molecular analyses of chronic wound specimens revealed diverse polymicrobial communities and the presence of bacteria, including strictly anaerobic bacteria, not revealed by culture. Bacterial biofilm prevalence in specimens from chronic wounds relative to acute wounds observed in this study provides evidence that biofilms may be abundant in chronic wounds.
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Chronic wound microbial communities are believed to exist predominantly as biofilms.
“These microbial communities are believed to exist predominantly in the form of a biofilm (166), the composition of which depends on the type of chronic wound; the most prevalent genera in chronic wounds are Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, and Corynebacterium.”
From Wound repair and regeneration: Mechanisms, signaling, and translation (2014) · cites this paper as [166]
The most prevalent genera in chronic wounds are Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, and Corynebacterium.
“the most prevalent genera in chronic wounds are Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, and Corynebacterium.”
From Wound repair and regeneration: Mechanisms, signaling, and translation (2014) · cites this paper as [166]
The rapidity of the innate immune response and the resulting microbicidal activity are essential to kill planktonic bacteria and to prevent the establishment of biofilms and other stable microbial communities.
“The rapidity of this response and the resulting microbicidal activity are essential to kill planktonic bacteria and to prevent the establishment of biofilms and other stable microbial communities.18”
From The Innate Immune System in Acute and Chronic Wounds (2016) · cites this paper as [18]
A study found that 60% of clinical samples from chronic infection sites contained biofilms compared with 6% found in acute infections.
“Interestingly, a study found that 60% of clinical samples from chronic infection sites contained biofilms compared with 6% found in acute infections 38 .”
From Nanotechnology approaches for global infectious diseases (2021) · cites this paper as [38]
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“These wounds are typically colonized by bacterial species such as Pseudomonas growing as biofilms on a complex mixture of wound exudate [32, 33].”
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- Authors
- James, G. A., Swogger, E., Wolcott, R., Pulcini, E. D., Secor, P., Sestrich, J., Costerton, J. W., & Stewart, P. S.
- Affiliations
- Montana State University (US)
- Southwest Regional Wound Care Center (US)
- Venue
- Wound Repair and Regeneration
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2007-12-13
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 37-44
- ISSN
- 1067-1927 (ISSN-L)
- 1524-475X
- OpenAlex
- W2091651320
- Cited by
- 1,543
- References
- 23
- Citations by year
- 2026: 87 · 2025: 69 · 2024: 79 · 2023: 83 · 2022: 102 · 2021: 125 · 2020: 101 · 2019: 89 · 2018: 105 · 2017: 92 · 2016: 94 · 2015: 91 · 2014: 99 · 2013: 87 · 2012: 76
- FWCI
- 13.63
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Wound Repair and Regeneration (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Montana State University ScholarWorks (Montana State University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Bacterial biofilms and quorum sensing
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Rehabilitation › Wound Healing and Treatments
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Diabetic Foot Ulcer Assessment and Management
- Keywords
- biofilm, chronic wounds, diabetic foot ulcer, pressure ulcers, venous leg ulcers, acute wounds, polymicrobial communities, anaerobic bacteria, wound microbiota, bacterial colonization
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Chronic Disease, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Wound Healing, Wounds and Injuries, Bacterial Physiological Phenomena, Biofilms
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