Ozone Therapy Patch Treats Antibiotic-Resistant Infections

A wearable, portable topical ozone therapy system could provide a promising alternative approach for treatment of non-healing and infected wounds.

Developed at Purdue University (Lafayette, IN, USA), the system is comprised of a flexible and disposable semipermeable dressing connected to a portable and reusable ozone-generating unit via a flexible tube. The dressing itself consists of a multilayered structure with gradient porosities to achieve uniform ozone distribution, and with hydrophobic properties that allow contact with biofluids on the wound surface, without blocking the exposed pores. The combination of features permits a uniform permeation of ozone through the dressing, without significant resistance.

The antimicrobial effects of the system were tested against common antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus epidermidis. The results indicated complete elimination of P. aeruginosa and a significant reduction in the number of S. epidermidis colonies after six hours of exposure. The tests also showed low cytotoxicity against human fibroblast cells during the same duration ozone treatment. The study was published in the August 2020 issue of Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology.

“We created a revolutionary type of treatment to kill the bacteria on the surface of the wound or diabetic ulcer and accelerate the healing process,” said senior author Rahim Rahimi, PhD, of the Purdue School of Materials Engineering. “Our breathable patch is applied to the wound and then connected to a small, battery powered ozone-generating device. The ozone gas is transported to the skin surface at the wound site and provides a targeted approach for wound healing. Our innovation is small and simple to use for patients at home.”

Ozone is known to inactivate bacteria, viruses, fungi, yeast, and protozoa through the oxidation of phospholipids and lipoproteins in the cell envelope, which leads to weakened or destroyed bacterial walls.

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