Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

It is important to know what is normal in the wound healing process in order to determine what happens when a wound does not heal as expected. If the amount of bacteria in the wound gets too large the body will not be able to defend itself and it becomes an infection. Colonization and infection are common elements in wound management and it is often the veterinary nurse role to deal with wounds in a proper manner. Antibiotics are drugs that either kill or inhibit the multiplication of bacteria or fungi, and have been in veterinary medicine for approximately 60 years. Very few new antibiotics are introduced and increased resistance is a major problem that requires everyone to take responsibility to reduce the use of it. Infections are often treated with antibiotics, which provide a selective pressure on bacteria and thus an increased risk of resistance. At present, there is a careless use of antibiotics and several multi-resistant bacteria such as MRSA and MRSI / P has already developed. To get this resistance development to slow down antibiotics should only be used when it is really necessary. Many pathogenic bacteria have been shown to bind to tissues by hydrophobic interaction. This discovery has led to the development of dressings with hydrophobic effects. The bacteria create bonds to these dressings without any additional impact. When the bacteria have bonded to the dressings they reproduce only in low extent and produce no extracellular toxins or enzymes. For example, Streptococcus and Stafylococcus aureus, which are common wound pathogens, expressed high cell surface hydrophobicity, CSH. However, several studies have been made of these dressings with varying results. There are also lots of other medical dressings that can serve as alternatives to antibiotics. The ones mentioned in this work are silver containing dressings, iodine containing dressings and medical honey. All three appeared to have effect on the MRSA bacteria but their effectiveness is not shown in the studies we have seen. Hopefully, a reduction of antibiotic will be seen when knowledge of alternative methods and good wound care is spread among the veterinary nurses.