title: The effects of low level laser therapy on Staphylococcus aureus infected third-degree burns in diabetic rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the effects of low-level laser (LLL) on third-degree burn wounds which were infected with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in diabetic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were divided into two groups: the control and the LLL groups. Third-degree burns were induced using a heated metal rod, and then, were contaminated with S. aureus. The wounds in the LLL group were irradiated with a LLL (685nm) daily for five consecutive days, starting three days after the induction. The wound area was measured at 3, 5, 8, 14 and 21 days after burning. At the end of trial, the skin samples were harvested.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Reduction in wound areas in the LLL and control groups were significantly different only on the 21st day (p<0.05). The mean bacterial numbers in the LLL group were significantly lower (p<0.05) than those in the control group. The number of macrophages, new blood vessels, fibroblast, and elevated collagen deposition in the LLL group significantly increased compared to the control group (p<0.05). The mean breaking strength of scars in the control group was significantly lower (p<0.05) than that of the LLL group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The low-level laser improved the healing of S. aureus third-degree burn infections in diabetic rats.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ranjbar
authors.affiliation: Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Ashrafzadeh
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Takhtfooladi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002056:Burns / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000503:physiopathology*; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000528:radiation effects; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000528:radiation effects*