Development of slow release silver-containing biomaterial for wound care applications

Silver-containing wound dressings are now commonly available with much publicised claims of antimicrobial activities against all kinds of pathogens including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). However, there are little or no credible reports on the control release agents for the minimum potent quantities of silver needed in dressings for antimicrobial purposes over time. This paper introduces a new biomaterial fibre made from natural polymers with an inbuilt ability to gel and absorb large quantities of pseudo exudates. Furthermore, the new fibre carries up to six times less silver than it is conventionally used in silver dressings and displays a very slow rate of release whilst maintaining full potency over time against known microorganisms including methicillin-resistant S. aureus. The paper concludes that the developed fibre has long-lasting antimicrobial and gelling properties comparable, if not better, than Acticoat AA and Aquacel Ag, two commercially available silver dressings.