Abstract

Abstract
Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) are important nosocomial bacteria which are highly resistant to antibiotics and readily transmitted patient to patient. They are significant in chronic wounds in terms of causing infection, especially MRSA, and by constituting an infection control risk.
It is important to distinguish colonisation from infection of chronic wounds, as infection requires specific treatment whereas colonisation does not. If signs of infection (increased purulence, pain, swelling, redness, warmth) are present, local measures to control infection should be instituted and, if these fail, antibiotics should be used. Local measures are more important with these bacteria as the drugs to treat them are not readily available or have to be given parenterally. In terms of infection control, handwashing before and after patient contact is the most important measure. Cleaning of the environment is also important.

Abstract
Proteins fulfil the majority of structural and functional requirements in living cells -medicinal drugs act directly or indirectly through proteins in the cell membrane or proteins located within the cell. The unique properties of a protein are determined by the sequence of amino acids within this macromolecule. The unit of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) that codes for a protein is known as a gene and is copied or transcribed to generate a gene transcript which specifies the sequence of amino acids in the protein. The study of genomic DNA, gene transcripts and proteins at the molecular level is encompassed by the term molecular biology. This article will address the application of a recent advance in molecular biology, namely DNA microarray technology. to the evaluation of wound healing.

Abstract
This is a summary of the dressings workshop held at the first World Wound Healing Congress in 2000. The objectives of the dressings workshops were to review the variety of dressing classes available on the Australian market and consider the general properties of each class, including structure, function, form and use.
Modern interactive/bioactive dressings were discussed in the workshops, with only brief mention made of the inert products. The first dressings classes explored were the film dressings, foams hydrogels and hydrocolloids. Each dressing class is addressed in terms of general description and physical properties, indications, method of application and removal, effective use, limitations and brand name products available.