Wound dressing changes color when infection is detected

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A group of scientists from the University of Bath, the Bristol Children's Hospital's Healing Foundation Children's Burns Research Centre and the University of Brighton, have developed a wound dressing that will change its colors when it detects an infection. This revolutionary new medical item can lessen the probability of developing resistance to antibiotics.

According to Yahoo!, the developers hope that this novel medical dressing will make it easier for doctors to determine whether the wound has developed an infection and only prescribe antibiotics when needed. For patients, this can lead to less distress and shorter hospital stays.

"Our medical dressing works by releasing fluorescent dye from nanocapsules triggered by the toxins secreted by disease-causing bacteria within the wound," said Dr. Toby Jenkins who leads the project. He added, "The nanocapsules mimic skin cells in that they only break open when toxic bacteria are present; they aren't affected by the harmless bacteria that normally live on healthy skin."

Using traditional methods, the University of Bath said it can sometimes takes up to 48 hours before doctors can determine whether an infection has occurred. The old way involves removing the bandage.

With using the traditional methods, there was no way of determining whether the patient has an infection or has developed symptoms based on a different ailment, such as a cough or cold. Even when infection has not been confirmed, at times doctors apply antibiotics as a preventive measure.

The old procedure can cause the body to develop a resistance to antibiotics.

"Using this dressing will allow clinicians to quickly identify infections without removing it, meaning that patients can be diagnosed and treated faster. It could really help to save lives," Dr. Jenkins explained.

BBC says the team has received a grant worth almost £1 million from the Medical Research Council. The funds will be used to test the prototype on swabs taken from actual burn victims.

Dr. Amber Young from the Healing Foundation Children's Burns Research Center will be taking samples from young burn patients and giving them to Dr. Jenkins for testing. Children with burns are most susceptible to developing infections because of their underdeveloped immune systems.

A selected number of adult patients at West Sussex' Queen Victoria Hospital will also be swabbed for samples.

If the tests yield positive results, the team plans to work with the Hartmann Group to develop a working product that can be distributed to various hospitals within four years.

Watch the video to learn more about this new medical product.