Staphylococcal infection prevention using antibiotic-loaded mannitol-chitosan paste in a rabbit model of implant-associated osteomyelitis

Choosing the right animal model for osteomyelitis research: Considerations and challenges

Osteomyelitis is a debilitating bone disorder characterized by an inflammatory process involving the bone marrow, bone cortex, periosteum, and surrounding soft tissue, which can ultimately result in bone destruction. The etiology of osteomyelitis can be infectious, caused by various microorganisms, or noninfectious, such as chronic nonbacterial osteomyelitis (CNO) and chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO). Researchers have turned to animal models to study the pathophysiology of osteomyelitis. However, selecting an appropriate animal model that accurately recapitulates the human pathology of osteomyelitis while controlling for multiple variables that influence different clinical presentations remains a significant challenge. In this review, we present an overview of various animal models used in osteomyelitis research, including rodent, rabbit, avian/chicken, porcine, minipig, canine, sheep, and goat models. We discuss the characteristics of each animal model and the corresponding clinical scenarios that can provide a basic rationale for experimental selection. This review highlights the importance of selecting an appropriate animal model for osteomyelitis research to improve the accuracy of the results and facilitate the development of novel treatment and management strategies.

Cis-2-Decenoic Acid and Bupivacaine Delivered from Electrospun Chitosan Membranes Increase Cytokine Production in Dermal and Inflammatory Cell Lines

Wound dressings serve to protect tissue from contamination, alleviate pain, and facilitate wound healing. The biopolymer chitosan is an exemplary choice in wound dressing material as it is biocompatible and has intrinsic antibacterial properties. Infection can be further prevented by loading dressings with cis-2-decenoic acid (C2DA), a non-antibiotic antimicrobial agent, as well as bupivacaine (BUP), a local anesthetic that also has antibacterial capabilities. This study utilized a series of assays to elucidate the responses of dermal cells to decanoic anhydride-modified electrospun chitosan membranes (DA-ESCMs) loaded with C2DA and/or BUP. Cytocompatibility studies determined the toxic loading ranges for C2DA, BUP, and combinations, revealing that higher concentrations (0.3 mg of C2DA and 1.0 mg of BUP) significantly decreased the viability of fibroblasts and keratinocytes. These high concentrations also inhibited collagen production by fibroblasts, with lower loading concentrations promoting collagen deposition. These findings provide insight into preliminary cellular responses to DA-ESCMs and can guide future research on their clinical application as wound dressings.