Researchers studied the tiny bacteria living in two types of wounds: cuts from accidents (traumatic wounds) and long-lasting sores (ulcerative wounds). By analyzing samples from 263 patients, they discovered that these two wound types have completely different bacterial communities. Accident wounds tend to have helpful bacteria that speed up healing, while long-lasting sores have bacteria that cause more inflammation and infection. Understanding these differences could help doctors treat each type of wound more effectively and help patients heal faster.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether accident wounds and long-lasting sores have different bacteria living in them, and if those bacteria affect how well wounds heal
  • Who participated: 263 patients treated at a hospital wound care center in China between January and December 2022. The group included 106 people with traumatic wounds (cuts, scrapes, injuries) and 157 people with ulcerative wounds (chronic sores that won’t heal)
  • Key finding: Accident wounds and long-lasting sores have completely different bacterial communities. Accident wounds contain more helpful bacteria like Bifidobacterium longum that promote healing, while long-lasting sores have more harmful bacteria that cause inflammation and infection
  • What it means for you: If you have a wound, knowing what type it is might help your doctor choose the best treatment. This research suggests doctors may eventually be able to use bacteria information to predict how well a wound will heal and adjust treatment accordingly. However, this is early research and more studies are needed before changing how wounds are treated in everyday practice

The Research Details

This was an observational study, meaning researchers watched and collected data from patients receiving wound care at a hospital without changing their treatment. Between January 2022 and December 2022, doctors collected bacterial samples from wounds of 263 patients—106 with traumatic wounds (injuries from accidents or trauma) and 157 with ulcerative wounds (chronic sores). The researchers used a special genetic test called 16S rRNA gene sequencing to identify all the different bacteria living in each wound. This test is like taking a fingerprint of the bacterial community—it can identify which bacteria are present and how many of each type there are.

This research approach is important because it shows what bacteria actually live in different types of wounds in real patients, not in a laboratory. By comparing the bacterial communities side-by-side, researchers can understand why some wounds heal easily while others struggle. This information could eventually help doctors predict which wounds might have problems and treat them differently before complications develop.

This study has some strengths: it included a reasonably large number of patients (263), used a reliable scientific method to identify bacteria, and was conducted at a major hospital. However, it was conducted at only one hospital in one region of China, so results might be different in other places. The study was observational, meaning it shows what bacteria are present but doesn’t prove that the bacteria are causing the healing differences. More research would be needed to confirm these findings in other populations and to test whether changing the bacteria actually improves healing

What the Results Show

The most important finding was that accident wounds and long-lasting sores have dramatically different bacterial communities. Accident wounds contained significantly higher amounts of a helpful bacterium called Bifidobacterium longum, which is known to help wounds heal better. In contrast, long-lasting sores had much higher amounts of bacteria linked to infection and inflammation, including Corynebacterium auriscanis, Finegoldia magna, and Corynebacterium striatum. These harmful bacteria are known to cause problems in wounds and make healing more difficult. The researchers also found that accident wounds, especially those that weren’t from surgery, healed more easily. Long-lasting sores, particularly those not caused by poor circulation in veins, were much harder to heal. This suggests that the type of wound and the bacteria living in it are connected to how well it heals.

Beyond just identifying which bacteria were present, researchers also looked at what functions these bacteria perform. They found that accident wounds had higher levels of certain bacterial processes related to building cell structures and breaking down foreign substances. Long-lasting sores had higher levels of bacterial processes related to drug metabolism and processing certain amino acids. These functional differences suggest that the bacteria in each wound type are doing different jobs, which might explain why they affect healing differently

This research builds on earlier studies showing that wound bacteria matter for healing. Previous research has shown that Bifidobacterium species generally help with healing and immune function, which matches what this study found in accident wounds. The finding that long-lasting sores have more inflammation-causing bacteria also aligns with what doctors have observed clinically. However, this is one of the first studies to directly compare the complete bacterial communities in these two specific wound types, making it a valuable addition to our understanding

This study has several important limitations. First, it only included patients from one hospital in China, so the results might be different in other countries or populations. Second, the study only shows which bacteria are present—it doesn’t prove that these bacteria are causing the healing differences. It’s possible that the wound type itself creates conditions that attract certain bacteria, rather than the bacteria determining how well the wound heals. Third, the study didn’t follow patients over time to see if the bacteria changed as wounds healed. Finally, the study didn’t test whether changing the bacteria would actually improve healing, which would be needed to make clinical recommendations

The Bottom Line

Based on this research, doctors might eventually use bacterial analysis to better understand and treat different wound types. However, this is early-stage research, and these findings should not yet change how wounds are treated. Current wound care practices should continue. Patients should follow their doctor’s wound care instructions, keep wounds clean and dry, and report any signs of infection. Future research may lead to new treatments based on wound bacteria, but that’s not ready for everyday use yet. Confidence level: Low to Moderate—this is promising research but needs confirmation in other populations

This research is most relevant to people with chronic wounds that won’t heal, people with diabetes or circulation problems who are at risk for ulcerative wounds, and healthcare providers who treat wounds. It’s less immediately relevant to people with minor cuts and scrapes, which usually heal fine with basic care. If you have a wound that isn’t healing normally, this research suggests it might be worth asking your doctor about the bacteria in your wound

This research doesn’t provide information about how quickly wounds should heal. That depends on many factors including wound size, location, overall health, and age. If you have a wound that isn’t healing after several weeks, or shows signs of infection, contact your healthcare provider

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track wound healing progress by photographing the wound weekly in consistent lighting and measuring its size. Note any changes in redness, drainage, or odor. Record whether the wound is painful or itchy. This creates a visual record to share with your healthcare provider
  • Set daily reminders to clean and care for your wound according to your doctor’s instructions. Log each time you change dressings, apply medications, or notice changes. This helps ensure consistent care and makes it easy to report progress to your healthcare team
  • Over 4-8 weeks, track whether your wound is getting smaller, the surrounding skin is less red, and drainage is decreasing. If you notice the wound isn’t improving or is getting worse, flag this in the app and contact your doctor. Share your tracking data with your healthcare provider at follow-up appointments to help them assess healing progress

This research is informational only and should not replace professional medical advice. If you have a wound that isn’t healing, shows signs of infection (increased redness, warmth, pus, or odor), or causes severe pain, contact your healthcare provider immediately. Wound care should always be guided by your doctor or healthcare team. This study is early-stage research and does not yet support changes to standard wound treatment practices. Always follow your healthcare provider’s wound care instructions