Oral Presentation ANZBA Annual Scientific Meeting 2025

Microbiome Profiling and Evaluation of a Novel Silver Nanoparticle Wound Dressing in Paediatric Burn Patients (22949)

Anteneh Geremew 1 , Anton Alvaro 2 , Linda Quinn 2 , Bernard Carney 2 , Hanif Haidari 3 , Zlatko Kopecki 1
  1. Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
  2. Women and children hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
  3. College of Medicine and Public Health , Flinders university , Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Abstract

Introduction: Burn injuries predispose patients to infection and the escalating antimicrobial resistance diminishes the efficacy of conventional antibiotics, underscoring the necessity for novel antimicrobial dressings. This study defined the microbiome and antimicrobial resistance profiles of paediatric burns and assessed the efficacy of a novel silver nanoparticle (AgNP) hydrogel against clinical bacterial isolates.

Methods: Over a one-year period, 20 paediatric patients with burn injuries were included. Two swabs were collected from each infected and non-infected burns (n=10). Bacterial species were identified using MALDI-TOF and the microbiome was profiled using full-length 16S-rRNA sequencing. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted using disk diffusion method. The antimicrobial effect of the AgNP hydrogel on clinical isolates was evaluated.

Result: The predominant cause of burns were scald injuries (60%). Statistically significant associations were observed between infection status and maximal burn depth (p = 0.021), as well as the use of antibiotic prophylaxis (p = 0.005). Microbiome analysis revealed a predominance of S. aureus in infected burns, with reduced microbial diversity compared to non-infected burns. Culture-based isolation confirmed these findings, with Staphylococcus species being the most frequently isolated organisms. Gram-negative organisms were exclusively isolated from infected burns. Staphylococcus species isolated from infected burns exhibited resistance to penicillin, with some cefoxitin resistant strains demonstrating methicillin-resistant Staphylococci. Overall, five strains demonstrated multidrug resistance (MDR). AgNP hydrogel demonstrated broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against all isolates, including MDR strains.

Conclusions: The novel AgNP hydrogel exhibits potent antimicrobial properties and may serve as an effective therapeutic option for managing infections in paediatric burn patients.

 

Key words: Antimicrobial resistance, microbiome profiling, paediatric burn wounds, Staphylococcus aureus, silver nanoparticle hydrogel, wound dressing, 16S rRNA sequencing.