Infection-fighting bandages for serious burns

25. A new generation of biological infection-fighting bandages could reduce the death rate among victims of serious burns. This technology, which EPFL helped develop, is the result of close collaboration among Swiss burn specialists. Serious burn victims are immunocompromised and may be missing skin on parts of their body, and this makes them highly vulnerable to bacteria. Thanks to progress in intensive care, they are decreasingly likely to die from burn trauma. Death is more commonly the result of infections that can occur several months after being hospitalized. The bandages used to treat burns actually represent a real breeding ground for microbes.