Scientists have created a medical dressing that changes color when it detects infection. The invention will help cut the unnecessary use of antibiotics. Traditional dressings make it hard for doctors to diagnose infections without removing it. As a result, they often end up prescribing antibiotics as a precautionary measure. But unnecessary taking of antibiotics can lead to bacteria becoming resistant to the treatment. This new medical dressing, however, will release a fluorescent dye when toxins are given out by bacteria in a wound—in other words, when an infection is imminent. The innovation is said to be of particular importance in the treatment of burn wounds in children, because they have an immature immune system.
Colour-changing dressing ‘fights antibiotic resistance’
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