Abstract
Biosynthetic materials influence wound healing by providing a moist environment which stimulates tissue repair. It has been hypothesized that different physical properties of biosynthetic materials play a role in determining both the proliferation of pathogens under dressing and the ability of the material to provide a physical barrier against pathogens. The influence of several wound dressings on wound healing and bacterial infection was studied. In general, occlusive dressings were found to speed healing. However, they differed in their influence on bacterial proliferation and their ability to exclude bacterial pathogens from wounds.