A pilot study investigating lactic acid bacterial symbionts
from the honeybee in inhibiting human chronic wound pathogens
Int Wound J. 2014 Sep 8. doi: 10.1111/iwj.12360
Treatment and management of chronic wounds is a large burden
on the health sector and causes substantial suffering for the patients. We
believe that 13 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) symbionts isolated from the honey
crop of the honeybee are important players in the antimicrobial action of
honey, by producing antimicrobial substances and can be used in combination
with heather honey as an effective treatment in wound management.
A total of 22 patients with chronic ulcers were included;
culture-dependent and molecular-based (MALDI-MS and 16S rRNA gene sequencing)
techniques were used to identify bacteria from chronic wounds. These clinical isolates
were used for in vitro antimicrobial testing with standardised viable LAB and
sterilised heather honey mixture. Twenty of the patients' wounds were
polymicrobial and 42 different species were isolated. Patient isolates that
were tested in vitro were inhibited by the LAB and honey combination with
inhibitory zones comparable with different antibiotics.
LAB and heather honey in combination presents a new topical
option in chronic wound management because of the healing properties of honey,
antimicrobial metabolite production from the LAB and their bactericidal effect
on common chronic wound pathogens. This new treatment may be a stepping stone
towards an alternative solution to antibiotics.
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