# New concept in wound infection management: From bacterial eradication to microbiome modulation

**Authors:** Tingting Hu, Zihan Chen, Zhe Yin, Luling Zhou, Qin Chen, Yanting Han, Ka Li

PMC · DOI: 10.1063/5.0314581 · APL Bioengineering · 2026-02-25

## TL;DR

This paper explores a new approach to wound care by shifting from killing bacteria to balancing the skin's microbiome for better healing.

## Contribution

It introduces a paradigm shift from bactericidal eradication to microbiome modulation in wound management.

## Key findings

- Traditional broad-spectrum antibiotics cause resistance and microbiota imbalance.
- Skin commensal microbiota aid wound healing through mechanisms like immune modulation.
- Future wound care should focus on precision microbial modulation using probiotics and smart materials.

## Abstract

Wound infection represents a significant challenge in clinical practice. Traditional wound management, targeting sterility and relying on strategies of broad-spectrum bactericidal activity and antibiotic dependence, achieves partial infection control but induces severe complications, including exacerbated bacterial resistance and skin microbiota dysbiosis. With the continuous advancement of microbiome research, a novel consensus has emerged: the key to wound healing lies not in the complete eradication of all microorganisms but in maintaining the dynamic balance of the microbial ecosystem. This review aims to elaborate on the paradigm shift from “bactericidal eradication” to “microbial modulation” in wound care, analyze the inherent limitations of conventional antibacterial strategies, and systematically summarize the critical roles of skin commensal microbiota in promoting wound healing through core mechanisms such as competitive inhibition, metabolic regulation, and immune modulation. Furthermore, it proposes that the core strategy of future wound care should focus on precision microbial modulation and discusses the application prospects of cutting-edge technologies, including probiotics, postbiotics, and individualized precision interventions. The innovative significance of this paradigm in wound dressing design is envisaged, emphasizing the development of novel materials integrating microbiota-specific regulatory capabilities and smart responsive functions. This work provides theoretical support for the precision prevention and control of wound infections, the improvement of healing quality, and technological innovation in the field of wound care.

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** IL10 (interleukin 10) [NCBI Gene 3586] {aka CSIF, GVHDS, IL-10, IL10A, TGIF}, TNF (tumor necrosis factor) [NCBI Gene 7124] {aka DIF, IMD127, TNF-alpha, TNFA, TNFSF2, TNLG1F}, IL6 (interleukin 6) [NCBI Gene 3569] {aka BSF-2, BSF2, CDF, HGF, HSF, IFN-beta-2}, IL1B (interleukin 1 beta) [NCBI Gene 3553] {aka IL-1, IL1-BETA, IL1F2, IL1beta}, TGFB1 (transforming growth factor beta 1) [NCBI Gene 7040] {aka CAEND1, CED, DPD1, IBDIMDE, LAP, TGF-beta1}
- **Diseases:** limb (MESH:D001259), pressure ulcers (MESH:D003668), burn wounds (MESH:D014947), diabetic foot ulcer (MESH:D017719), inflammation (MESH:D007249), Wound infection (MESH:D014946), cytotoxicity (MESH:D064420), dysbiosis (MESH:D064806), sterility (MESH:D007246), opportunistic infections (MESH:D009894), Infected (MESH:D007239), venous leg ulcers (MESH:D014647), postoperative (MESH:D019106), BACTERICIDAL ERADICATION (MESH:D010585), bacterial infections (MESH:D001424), sepsis (MESH:D018805), MRSA (MESH:D013203), acne vulgaris (MESH:D000152), necrosis (MESH:D009336), MECHANISMS (MESH:D041781), CHARACTERISTICS (MESH:D062706)
- **Chemicals:** alginate (MESH:D000464), NH3 (MESH:D000641), penicillin (MESH:D010406), chitosan (MESH:D048271), H2S (MESH:D006862), AP-32 (-), LTA (MESH:C009900), carbohydrates (MESH:D002241), polymers (MESH:D011108), propionate (MESH:D011422), polyhistidine (MESH:C033223), polyethylene glycol (MESH:D011092), amino acid (MESH:D000596), lactic acid (MESH:D019344), polysaccharides (MESH:D011134), butyrate (MESH:D002087), iodine (MESH:D007455), peptides (MESH:D010455), carbapenem (MESH:D015780), lipids (MESH:D008055), Luciferin (MESH:D000090562), lipopeptides (MESH:D055666), water (MESH:D014867), SCFA (MESH:D005232), glucose (MESH:D005947), methicillin (MESH:D008712), PLGA (MESH:D000077182), acetate (MESH:D000085), silver (MESH:D012834)
- **Species:** Streptococcus (genus) [taxon 1301], Lactobacillus (genus) [taxon 1578], Staphylococcus epidermidis (species) [taxon 1282], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Staphylococcus hominis (species) [taxon 1290], Mus musculus (house mouse, species) [taxon 10090], Bacteria Latreille et al. 1825 (Bacteria stick insect, genus) [taxon 629395], Pseudomonas aeruginosa (species) [taxon 287], Staphylococcus aureus (species) [taxon 1280], Enterobacterales (order) [taxon 91347], Enterococcus (genus) [taxon 1350]

## Full text

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## Figures

4 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12948442/full.md

## References

54 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12948442/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12948442