# Antimicrobial Activity of Acidifying Hyaluronic Acid–Starch Microfiber Dressings Against Clinical Isolates from Chronic Wounds

## TL;DR

This paper shows that new hyaluronic acid-starch dressings with acidifying agents can fight microbes in chronic wounds and are safe for cells.

## Contribution

The novelty is the development of HA–Starch microfiber dressings with acidifying agents that show antimicrobial efficacy against clinical isolates.

## Key findings

- The dressings showed significant antimicrobial activity against multidrug-resistant clinical isolates.
- Scanning electron microscopy confirmed uniform microfiber morphology and elemental composition.
- Cytotoxicity tests indicated the materials are safe for potential wound care applications.

## Abstract

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a natural biopolymer widely used in wound dressings for its supportive role in the healing process. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of microorganisms in chronic wounds and evaluated the antimicrobial activity of newly synthesized HA–Starch-based materials enriched with acidifying agents. Microbial isolates obtained from chronic wounds were tested for susceptibility using the agar diffusion method. The prepared materials exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against both reference strains and multidrug-resistant clinical isolates. Further characterization by scanning electron microscopy and elemental analysis confirmed uniform microfiber morphology and the expected elemental composition of the fibers. Cytotoxicity assessments performed using the xCELLigence system demonstrated the potential safety of developed materials. Overall, the results indicate that HA–Starch-based materials containing acidifying compounds exhibit strong in vitro antimicrobial activity against chronic-wound isolates, supporting their potential for further evaluation in wound care applications.