ETD

• advanced wound dressings
• bacteriophages
• phage therapy
• skin ulcers

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria represent a major challenge in the management of infected skin ulcers, contributing to delayed healing and persistent infections. In this context, bacteriophage therapy has emerged as a promising alternative approach to address antimicrobial resistance and improve infection control. However, limited information is available on bacterial evolution during phage treatment in vivo, as well as on the potential combined use of bacteriophages with bacteria-binding wound dressings commonly used in clinical practice. This study was designed to investigate two main aspects. The first objective was to analyse the evolutionary dynamics of bacterial strains isolated from a patient undergoing phage therapy, focusing on phenotypic traits such as growth, motility, and biofilm formation. The second objective was to evaluate the in vitro interaction between bacteriophages and the wound dressing CutiMed Sorbact®, assessing their potential compatibility and combined application against key pathogens associated with infected skin ulcers.