Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. A topical application of 10% tea tree oil significantly improved wound healing in the participating subjects with MRSA infected wounds compared to the control group.
Bacterial infections that delay wound healing are a consistent problem in the elderly as they lead to decrease in function, decreased movement and an overall weakened immune response 1,2. One bacteria that is of particular concern is Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a type of staph bacteria that has become resistant to many of the antibiotics used to treat ordinary staph infections. If left untreated, it can lead to chronic infections such as endocarditis” and osteomyelitis 3,4. Consequently, finding ways to control MRSA can be vitally important to overall patient care as well as controlling healthcare costs.
In a 2014 Hong Kong study, researchers chose to investigate the effectiveness of tea tree oil with its anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and pain-killing properties against MRSA infected wounds 5,6. Thirty-two participants (7 males, 25 females) between the ages of 72 and 86 and with MRSA-infected wounds were treated with either a 10% tea trea oil (TTO) preparation or a control applied topically every day for 4 weeks. Two wound measurements were taken based on previous research 5 with total wound healing graded on a 0-16 scale, and complete wound healing given a score of 0. A wound culture was also taken before and after the study to test for the presence of MRSA.
The researchers found a significant benefit of tea tree oil in decreasing MRSA in the wounds, even after the first week, compared to the control group:
| MRSA (CFU/mL)* | Before Study | Week 1** | Week 2** | Week 3** | Week 4** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tea Tree | 7093 | 4531 (37.2% decrease) | 2375 (66.6% decrease) | 468 (93.5% decrease) | 93 (98.7% decrease) |
| Control | 6437 | 8125 (26.2% increase) | 8937 (38.3% increase) | 9875 (53.4% increase) | 10312 (60% increase) |
*(CFU/mL = colony-forming units/milliliter) **p < 0.001
Compared with baseline, the TTO group, in weeks 1, 2, 3, and 4, had a reduction in the number of MRSA colony forming units of 36%, 66%, 93% and 98%, whereas an increase in the MRSA count was found in the control group of 26%, 38% , 53% and 60% respectively, resulting in a significance difference between the two goups of P< 0.001
Regarding total wound healing:
| Before Study | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tea Tree | 7.9 | 5.5 (30.4% decrease) | 5.4 (31.7% decrease) | 1 (87.4% decrease) | 0 (100% decrease) |
| Control | 8.1 | 7.6 (6.2% decrease) | 6.9 (14.9% decrease) | 5.5 (32.1% decrease) | 4.6 (43.4% decrease) |
Also, compared to the control group, the TTO group had a percentage decrease in wound healing scores at Weeks 1, 2, 3, and 4 of 30.4%, 31.6%, 87% and 100% respectively, indicating 100% total healing at Week 4, and reflecting a statistical significance between the groups at weeks 1, 2, 3, and 4 of P=0.005, P=0.000, P=0.000, and P=0.000 respectively.
For the researchers, this study “confirms tea tree oil’s value as a topical treatment in the context of MRSA containment and chronic wound management.” And because tea tree oil is a natural product, “the threat of antimicrobial resistance can be avoided by reducing antibiotic use”. As a result, “lower healthcare costs and improved quality of life for nursing home residents can be achieved.”
Source: Lee, Rainbow LP, Polly HM Leung, and Thomas KS Wong. “A randomized controlled trial of topical tea tree preparation for MRSA colonized wounds.” International Journal of Nursing Sciences 1, no. 1 (2014): 7-14.
© 2014, Chinese Nursing Association
Posted August 15, 2017.
Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com.
References:
- Margolisa DJ, Bilkerb W, Santannab J. Venous leg ulcer: incidence and prevalence in the elderly. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2002;46(3):381-386.
- Strausbaugh LJ, Sukumar SR, Joseph CL, High KP. Infectious disease outbreaks in nursing homes: an unappreciated hazard for frail elderly persons. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2003;36(7):870-876.
- Melzer M, Eykyn S, Gransden W, Chinn S. Is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus more virulent than methicillin-susceptible S. aureus? A comparative cohort study of British patients with nosocomial infection and bacteremia. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2003;37(11):1453-1460.
- Engemann JJ, Carmeli Y, Cosgrove SE, et al. Adverse clinical and economic outcomes attributable to methicillin resistance among patients with Staphylococcus aureus surgical site infection. Clinical infectious diseases. 2003;36(5):592-598.
- Lee RL, Leung PH, Wong TK. A randomized controlled trial of topical tea tree preparation for MRSA colonized wounds. International Journal of Nursing Sciences. 2014;1(1):7-14.
- Thomas DR, Rodeheaver GT, Bartolucci AA, et al. Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing: Derivation and Validation of the PUSH Tool: The PUSH Task Force. Advances in Skin & Wound Care. 1997;10(5):96-101.
