pH in the Bacteria-Contaminated Wound and Its Impact on Clostridium histolyticum Collagenase Activity

The data demonstrate that wound pH in a model of contaminated pig wounds is alkaline during the first 10 days of healing. As healing progresses, pH decreases with no significant change in the level of bacterial bioburden. C collagenase exhibited robust activity in the pH range found in this contaminated pig wound model, suggesting it can effectively debride necrotic tissue in the environment found in most chronic wounds in humans.