Hydrazone-crosslinked poly(oligoethylene glycol methacrylate)-based hydrogels with physically entrapped phage effectively control Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in a burn wound model

First-line treatments for treating wound infections are under threat from the increase in antimicrobial resistant bacteria, a threat further exacerbated in burn wounds in which the immune response to the infection site is blocked by burned skin. Herein, we report a tuneable and in situ-gelling poly(oligoethylene glycol methacrylate) bulk hydrogel containing bacteriophage (phage), viruses that allow for highly efficient and specific killing of bacteria without the need for conventional antibiotics. The resulting phage-hydrogel has suitable mechanical strength (1.5 kPa compressive modulus) and stability (up to 5 days when fully hydrated) for use as a burn wound dressing while also maintaining excellent antibiotic properties (>4-log reduction of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a murine in vivo infection burn wound model). Coupled with the beneficial hydrating properties of hydrogels for promoting burn wound healing, the phage-hydrogel dressing offers potential for managing complex burn wound infections.