Prevalence of biofilms on surgical suture segments in wounds of dogs, cats, and horses.

The research paper explores the presence of biofilms on surgical suture materials and swabs in pets with chronic wound-healing complications and suggests that the formation of these biofilms could be a factor in chronic infections and wound healing disorders in veterinary medicine.

Objective of the Research

• The primary aim of the research was to investigate the prevalence of biofilms on surgical suture segments and swabs involving chronic wound healing issues in dogs, cats, and horses. This is important because the formation of biofilms is considered to contribute significantly to chronic infections and wound healing disorders.

Methods Used

• The study made use of histologic examination to assess the prevalence of biofilms. It employed various types of staining methodologies such as hematoxylin and eosin, Gram, Giemsa stains, and the periodic acid-Schiff reaction to detect the presence of biofilms.
• The researchers focused on the study of tissue samples with intralesional suture material or swab residues associated with inflammation.

Key Findings

• Out of the total 91 examined tissue samples, only 2 of them contained bacterial colonies arranged in an extracellular polymeric matrix – a characteristic of biofilms.
• The result implies that the occurrence of biofilms on suture material in veterinary medicine may be possible, although they were found only on a minor fraction of the analyzed samples.

Implications of the Findings

• Although the prevalence of biofilms was found to be low in this study, their presence highlights a potential contributing factor to chronic wounds and infections in veterinary medicine.
• Given the limitations and unreliability of bacterial culturing, the use of histology presents itself as an economical and reliable tool for detecting the existence of biofilms on suture materials and swabs.