Comparison of Topical Rifamycin and a Chlorhexidine-Containing Wound Dressing in Infected and Non-Infected Experimental Wound Models

Aim To compare topical rifamycin versus a chlorhexidine-containing wound dressing for wound healing and microbial load in infected and non-infected wound models. Methods Thirty rats were studied in two stages across five groups (n = 6). Full-thickness 1 × 2 cm interscapular wounds were created. Group 1 received saline irrigation (control), Group 2 topical rifamycin, Group 3 chlorhexidine-containing dressing (CHD), Group 4 infection with Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 followed by rifamycin, and Group 5 the same infection followed by CHD. Animals were housed individually. On day 7, rats were sacrificed and wounds excised; specimens were divided equally for microbiology and histology. Results On day-7 histology, the control group had the lowest wound healing score (7.66 ± 0.82). The highest score occurred in the CHD group (11.33 ± 1.75), followed by the rifamycin group (10.5 ± 0.55). No significant differences were found between non-infected groups (p = 0.292) or infected groups (p = 0.360). In infected groups, the CHD group showed lower total bacterial colony counts and fewer colonies per milligram of tissue, but differences were not significant (p = 0.091, p = 0.200). Conclusion CHD tended to outperform rifamycin in wound healing and limiting bacterial growth, but no significant difference was detected. This study informs clinical use of both products.