‘Subclinical’ infection in tissues of Chronic leg ulcers and keloids
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Identification of ‘subclinical’ infection in the deep tissues in Chronic Leg Ulcers and Keloid Scars
IRAS ID
367715
Contact name
Fortune Iwuagwu
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
SUMMARY Following injury, the healing of the wound can be abnormal leading to chronic ulcers or wounds and abnormal scars such as keloids. These are established abnormal healing models.
We have previously carried out a pilot study based on the hypothesis or thinking that there is an unidentified infection of chronic ulcers (skin defects or wounds) by germs called fungi within the tissues of a chronic ulcer and this may be responsible for the delayed healing or non-healing of the ulcers. Please sec REC reference --279606.
Note: for this proposal, the word 'ulcer' is the same as the word 'wound' and the same as the phrase 'skin defect'.
Tests on the tissues were carried out using a specialized test called polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This was performed on 10 participants' tissues.
The plan was that if the pilot study was positive, we would embark on a larger study of more participants to confirm this hypothesis and hopefully extrapolate the findings to clinical care (targeted therapy using appropriate anti-microbials), help in further research on these kind of abnormal healing or tissues and likely to the routine use of this kind of tests (molecular genetics--PCR) in clinical care.
Our study was positive in that we found two of the fungal germs in some of the specimens. This is significant as these germs are known to be pathogenic (harmful) to wounds leading to delayed or non healing and also cause skin infections.
Therefore we now propose to carry out similar testing using PCR on a large number of patients with abnormal healing including chronic leg ulcers and keloid scars.REC name
London - Chelsea Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/PR/0400
Date of REC Opinion
5 May 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion