Effectiveness of Black Light in Early Detection of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa in Chronic Wounds and Burns

Abstract Introduction P. aeruginosa commonly colonizes chronic wounds and burns, complicating detection and treatment. Its fluorescent siderophores can be visualized under UV/black light, offering a potential rapid screening tool. Since nurses routinely perform wound care, bedside screening may enhance early detection. Methods In this prospective pilot at Banner Health, nurses performed black light exams during routine wound care for adults with chronic wounds (4 weeks) or burns. Each exam was paired with a standard culture. Data included fluorescence findings, culture results, time-to-result, and workflow factors. Results Four patients were enrolled. All showed positive green/cyan fluorescence with high concordance to culture-confirmed P. aeruginosa. Black light provided results in ~1 minute versus hours to days for culture. Nurses reported easy integration into care and strong acceptability, with no adverse effects. Conclusions Four patients were enrolled. All showed positive green/cyan fluorescence with high concordance to culture-confirmed P. aeruginosa. Black light provided results in ~1 minute versus hours to days for culture. Nurses reported easy integration into care and strong acceptability, with no adverse effects. Applicability of Research to Practice Assess the feasibility and preliminary diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity, specificity) of bedside black light screening performed by nursing staff, using gold-standard wound culture as the reference. Evaluate integration into nursing workflow, ease of use, and acceptability among patients and staff. Funding for the study N/A.