Background: In burn care, achieving swift healing with minimal complications remains paramount. This investigation assesses the role of polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) in managing pediatric superficial partial-thickness burns, focusing on the effects of various patient-specific factors on recovery. Methods: Through a retrospective analysis of 27 pediatric cases treated with PHMB, we evaluated the impact of age, burn size, dressing frequency, treatment delay, cold therapy application, and analgesic usage on the time until reepithelialization (TTRE). Results: The majority of patients benefited from early cold therapy, yet only 1 in 3 patients received analgesics. A mean healing time of 8.78 (SD: 2.64) days was observed, with the extent of the burn showing a strong correlation (r: 0.63) to TTRE. Most treatments were managed outpatient, evidenced by a negligible average hospital stay (0.96 days), with recorded no complications. Conclusions: Our findings endorse PHMB as a promising treatment for superficial second-degree burns in young patients, due to the observed stable and rapid wound closure without the association of increased risks. Continued exploration into the optimal application of prehospital interventions and the comprehensive benefits of PHMB in pediatric burn management is necessary. Future research should assess long-term outcomes, including functionality, scar quality, and patient satisfaction.

Acanthamoeba, a free-living amoeba, is commonly found in various natural environments, such as rivers and soil, as well as in public baths, swimming pools, and sewers. Acanthamoeba can cause severe illness such as granulomatous amoebic encephalitis and Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) in humans. AK, the most recognized disease, can cause permanent visual impairment or blindness by affecting the cornea. AK commonly affects contact lens wearers who neglect proper cleaning habits. The symptoms of AK include epithelial and stromal destruction, corneal infiltrate, and intense ocular pain, occasionally necessitating surgical removal of the entire eyeball. Current AK treatment involves the hourly application of eye drops containing polyhexamethylene biocide (PHMB). However, studies have revealed their ineffectiveness against drug-resistant strains. Acanthamoeba can form cysts as a survival mechanism in adverse environments, though the exact mechanism remains unknown. Our experiments revealed that sodium P-type ATPase (ACA1_065450) is closely linked to encystation. In addition, various encystation buffers, such as MgCl2 or NaCl, induced the expression of P-type ATPase. Furthermore, we used ouabain, an ATPase inhibitor, to inhibit the Na+/K+ ion pump, consequently decreasing the encystation rate of Acanthamoeba. Our primary objective is to develop an advanced treatment for AK. We anticipate that the combination of ouabain and PHMB may serve as an effective therapeutic approach against AK in the future.

As antibiotic resistance increasingly undermines traditional infection management strategies, there is a critical demand for innovative wound care solutions that address these emerging challenges. This study introduces a novel antibacterial wound dressing based on Cross-Linked Pullulan (Pul) and Polyhexamethylene Biguanide (PHMB) for enhanced wound management and infection control. The dressing\'s adsorption rate reached 200% of its original weight within 30 min, exceeded 300% after 5 h, and exhibited significant non-Newtonian fluid properties. The dressings were able to release the loaded medication completely within 20 min; additionally, the dressing demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against a broad spectrum of bacteria. Significantly, the therapeutic effects of the Pul-PHMB/GP dressing were evaluated in a mouse model. Compared to untreated wounds, wounds treated with Pul-PHMB/GP exhibited a significant gelation process within 5 min post-treatment and showed a significant increase in wound healing rate within 12 days. This powder preparation overcomes the limitations associated with liquid and gel dressings, notably in storage and precise application, preventing the premature expansion or dissolution often caused by PHMB in high-humidity environments. The powder form can transform into a gel upon contact with wound exudate, ensuring accurate coverage of irregular wounds, such as those from burns or pressure sores, and offers excellent chemical and physical stability in a dry state, which facilitates storage and transport. This makes the dressing particularly suitable for emergency medical care and precision therapy, significantly improving the efficiency and adaptability of wound treatment and providing robust support for clinical treatments and emergency responses.

Human papilloma virus (HPV) infection and its progression still represent a great medical challenge worldwide. Clinical evidence has demonstrated the beneficial effects of polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) on HPV clinical manifestations; however, evidence of the effect of this molecule on HPV viral load is still lacking. In this in vitro study, 13 ThinPrep Papanicolaou (Pap) tests were treated with a PHMB solution (0.10 g/100 mL) for 2 h. We observed no cytological changes but a significant reduction in the viral load of high-risk (HR) HPV after PHMB treatment, also revealing a dose-dependent antiviral effect. In addition, by stratifying the obtained results according to HR-HPV genotype, we observed a significant reduction in the viral load of HPV 16, P2 (56, 59, 66), 31, and P3 (35, 39, 68) and a strong decrease in the viral load of HPV 45, 52, and P1 (33, 58). Overall, 85% of the analyzed cervical cell samples exhibited an improvement in HPV viral load after PHMB exposure, while only 15% remain unchanged. For the first time, the data from this pilot study support the activity of PHMB on a specific phase of the HPV viral lifecycle, the one regarding the newly generated virions, reducing viral load and thus blocking the infection of other cervical cells.

Negative pressure wound therapy with instillation and dwell time (NPWTi-d) is increasingly used for a diverse range of wounds. Meanwhile, the topical wound irrigation solution consisting of polyhexamethylene biguanide and betaine (PHMB-B) has shown efficacy in managing wound infections. However, the effectiveness of this solution as a topical instillation solution for NPWTi-d in patients with diabetic foot infections (DFIs) has not been thoroughly studied. The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the impact of using PHMB-B as the instillation solution during NPWTi-d on reducing bioburden and improving clinical outcomes in patients with DFIs. Between January 2017 and December 2022, a series of patients with DFIs received treatment with NPWTi-d, using either PHMB-B or normal saline as the instillation solution. Data collected retrospectively included demographic information, baseline wound characteristics, and treatment outcomes. The study included 61 patients in the PHMB-B group and 73 patients in the normal saline group, all diagnosed with DFIs. In comparison to patients treated with normal saline, patients with PHMB-B exhibited no significant differences in terms of wound bed preparation time (P = 0.5034), length of hospital stay (P = 0.6783), NPWTi-d application times (P = 0.1458), duration of systematic antimicrobial administration (P = 0.3567), or overall cost of hospitalization (P = 0.6713). The findings of the study suggest that the use of either PHMB-B or normal saline as an instillation solution in NPWTi-d for DFIs shows promise and effectiveness, yet no clinical distinction was observed between the two solutions.

UNASSIGNED: This study was conducted to evaluate and compare the in vitro disinfection efficacies of six commercial lens cleaning and disinfecting products for planned replacement soft contact lenses.
UNASSIGNED: Disinfection efficacies of five multi-purpose solutions (MPSs) and one hydrogen peroxide solution (HPS) as control were evaluated in the presence of organic soil according to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO, Geneva, Switzerland) ISO 14729 stand-alone test protocol. The five specified compendial organisms, three bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Serratia marcescens) and two fungi (Candida albicans and Fusarium solani) were incubated with each solution under standard conditions, after which microbes were recovered and quantified.
UNASSIGNED: Each of the solutions evaluated met or exceeded the standard\'s primary criteria (3-log reduction of bacteria and 1-log reduction of fungi) after incubation for the manufacturer-recommended soaking time, except for COMPLETE MPS, which achieved only 0.4 ± 0.1 average log reduction for C. albicans. However, differences in efficacy between the solutions were noted. Average log reduction across all microbes for Biotrue Hydration Plus (4.6 ± 0.1) was comparable to that for CLEAR CARE PLUS HPS (4.3 ± 0.1) and greater than those for OPTI-FREE puremoist (3.6 ± 0.1), OPTI-FREE Replenish (4.0 ± 0.2), ACUVUE RevitaLens (3.9 ± 0.03), and COMPLETE MPS (3.6 ± 0.1). Biotrue Hydration Plus was especially effective at reducing the population of C. albicans (4.2 ± 0.7-log reduction).
UNASSIGNED: Products marketed for planned replacement soft CL disinfection generally meet the ISO 14729 standard\'s primary criteria for reducing populations of compendial organisms, with larger differences between solutions noted with C. albicans.

Wound infection is a common complication of chronic wounds. It can impair healing, which may not occur without external help. Antimicrobial dressings (AMDs) are a type of external help to infected chronic wounds. In this study, highly porous membranes made of only chitosan and containing the antiseptic polyhexanide (poly(hexamethylene biguanide); PHMB) were prepared by cryogelation, aiming to be used in AMDs. These membranes exhibited a water swelling capacity of 748%, a water drop penetration time of 11 s in a dry membrane and a water vapor transmission rate of 34,400 g H2O/m2/24 h when in contact with water. The best drug loading method involved simultaneous loading by soaking in a PHMB solution and sterilization by autoclaving, resulting in sterilized, drug-loaded membranes. When these membranes and a commercial PHMB-releasing AMD were assayed under the same conditions, albeit far from the in vivo conditions, their drug release kinetics were comparable, releasing PHMB for ca. 6 and 4 h, respectively. These membranes exhibited high antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which are bacterial species commonly found in infected wounds and blood clotting activity. The obtained results suggest that these membranes may have potential for use in the development of AMDs.

Chronic wounds and their treatment present a significant burden to patients and healthcare systems alike, with their management further complicated by bacterial infection. Historically, antibiotics have been deployed to prevent and treat infections, but the emergence of bacterial antimicrobial resistance and the frequent development of biofilms within the wound area necessitates the identification of novel treatment strategies for use within infected chronic wounds. Here, several non-antibiotic compounds, polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB), curcumin, retinol, polysorbate 40, ethanol, and D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate 1000 (TPGS) were screened for their antibacterial and antibiofilm capabilities. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and crystal violet (CV) biofilm clearance against two bacteria frequently associated with infected chronic wounds, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, were determined. PHMB was observed to have highly effective antibacterial activity against both bacteria, but its ability to disperse biofilms at MIC levels was variable. Meanwhile, TPGS had limited inhibitory activity but demonstrated potent antibiofilm properties. The subsequent combination of these two compounds in a formulation resulted in a synergistic enhancement of their capability to kill both S. aureus and P. aeruginosa and disperse their biofilms. Collectively, this work highlights the utility of combinatory approaches to the treatment of infected chronic wounds where bacterial colonization and biofilm formation remains significant issues.

Bacterial infection remains a great challenge in wound healing, especially in chronic wounds. Multidrug-resistant organisms are increasing in acute and chronic wound infections, which compromise the chance of therapeutics. Resistance to conventional antibiotics has created an urge to study new approach/system that can effectively control wound infection and enhance healing. Wound cover/dressing must exhibit biocompatibility and effectiveness in reducing bioburden at the wound site. Collagen, a natural biopolymer, possesses advantages over synthetic and other natural materials due to its unique biological properties. It can act as an excellent wound dressing and controlled drug delivery system. Currently, antiseptic agents such as silver, iodine, and polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB)-incorporated scaffolds have become widely accepted in chronic wound healing. In this study, PHMB-incorporated collagen scaffold has been prepared and characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), circular dichroism (CD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), which showed retention of collagen nativity and integration of PHMB. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed the porous structures of scaffolds. The cytotoxicity analysis showed PHMB is nontoxic at the concentration of 0.01% (wt/wt). The agar diffusion test and bacterial adhesion study demonstrated the effectiveness of PHMB-incorporated collagen scaffold against both gram positive and negative strains. This study concludes that PHMB-incorporated collagen scaffold could have the potential for infected wound healing.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has already generated a huge societal, economic and political losses worldwide. The present study aims to investigate the antiviral activity of Poly(hexamethylene biguanide) hydrochloride (PHMB) treated fabric against COVID-19 by using the surrogate Feline coronavirus. The antiviral analysis indicated that up to 94% of coronavirus was killed after contacting the CVC fabric treated with PHMB for 2 h, which suggests that PHMB treated fabric could be used for developing protective clothing and beddings with antiviral activity against coronavirus and can play a role in fighting the transmission of COVID-19 in the high-risk places.