Bacteria in equine wounds can be hard to detect and incredibly resistant to efforts to eradicate them. Bacteria that gather and embed themselves in a slimy matrix made up of sugar residue create a biofilm, which hides the bacteria from the host's immune response and from antibiotics.
Biofilms often delay wound healing and cause chronic inflammation. In addition, they're often hard to detect. If a horse has a leg wound that's not healing well despite traditional care like debridement and routine antimicrobial use, a biofilm could be to blame.
In a recent study, Dr. Charlotte Marx and researchers from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine investigated the use of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) on biofilms. MSCs are cells that can turn into other types of cells; they take part in the multiplying, inflammatory and remodeling phase of tissue repair.
MSCs have been shown to have antibacterial properties and they promote wound healing; Marx wanted to see if MSCs might prevent biofilm formation. The team used a 3D equine skin model for the study.
The team found that MSCs decreased the viability of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in mature biofilms and that they increased the immune response of surrounding cells. Their findings support the use of MSCs for infected wounds.
Read more at Equine Science Update.
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