Chitosan-stabilized electrospun nanofiber dressings with embedded flame-made nanosilver for the treatment of resistant infections

Wound healing can be severely compromised by infections, particularly those caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . We developed antibacterial wound dressings based on electrospun polyvinyl alcohol-chitosan nanofibers containing flame-made silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs). The 2–10 nm Ag NPs are embedded within ∼200 nm fibers, enabling a high and sustained Ag + ion release with no detectable nanoparticle release, which may help mitigate concerns associated with nanoparticle exposure. Chitosan structurally stabilizes the fibers while modulating swelling and local pH to enhance Ag + diffusion. The dressings achieved >99.9999% bacterial reduction in vitro and up to 99% ex vivo using freshly excised human skin. Crucially, the dressings maintained >90% viability of human keratinocytes and fibroblasts and showed no detectable impairment of short-term wound healing. This study introduces a scalable, safe-by-design nanofiber platform for infection-resistant and healing-compatible wound care and supports its further evaluation in preclinical studies.