Some wood species have antimicrobial properties, making them a better choice over inert surfaces in certain circumstances. However, the organic and porous nature of wood raises questions regarding the use of this material in hygienically important places. Therefore, it is reasonable to investigate the microbial survival and the antimicrobial potential of wood via a variety of methods. Based on the available literature, this review classifies previously used methods into two broad categories: one category tests wood material by direct bacterial contact, and the other tests the action of molecules previously extracted from wood on bacteria and fungi. This article discusses the suitability of these methods to wood materials and exposes knowledge gaps that can be used to guide future research. This information is intended to help the researchers and field experts to select suitable methods for testing the hygienic safety and antimicrobial properties of wood materials.

Wood materials are being adopted as nature-based architectural themes inside the healthcare buildings. Concern is raised that the organic and porous character of wood might support microbial survival. Therefore, this review discusses the hygienic properties of wood including the antimicrobial potential and its cleanability in comparison to smooth surface materials. In general, wood has antimicrobial properties owing to its chemical composition and physical structure. However, the hygienic potential of wood is influenced by the type of wood, age of wood, the cleaning method, surface treatment, and its moisture content. This information is intended to guide decision-makers regarding the use of wood in hygienically sensitive places and researchers to help them identify the variables for better utilizing the hygienic potential of this material.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) remain a burden in healthcare facilities, environmental surfaces being a potential reservoir for healthcare-associated pathogens. In this context, exploration of materials with potential antimicrobial activities represents a way forward for the future. Here, we explored the survival of four bacterial species commonly involved in HAI (Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus), on oak versus three other materials (aluminum, polycarbonate, stainless steel). Twenty microliters of each bacterial suspension (approximatively 10⁷ bacteria) were deposited on each material. Bacterial counts were measured by grinding and culturing on day 0, 1, 2, 6, 7 and 15. Analyses were performed in triplicate for each material and each time evaluated. It appeared that the bacteria viable count decreased rapidly on transversal and tangential oak compared with the other materials for all bacterial species. Furthermore, no difference was noticed between transversal and tangential oak. These results underline the potential for use of oak materials in healthcare facilities, a consideration that should be supported by further investigations.

The present investigation aimed to utilize a direct wood disc diffusion method to study the influence of plane of cutting, cutting method, sterilization method, and origin of tree on the antimicrobial activity of wood material. Six oak wood trees (Quercus petraea) were collected from 3 different locations in France. They were cut into 4 mm thick slices with either transverse (RT), tangential (LT) or radial (LR) faces. Round discs (diameter 9.95 ± 0.1 mm) were cut from the slices via a laser machine or a manual punch machine, and were sterilized with gamma irradiation (25 kGy) or autoclaving (121 °C). The antimicrobial activity of wood was tested using a direct diffusion method against Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii isolates. The zone of inhibition around the wooden disc was recorded following the recommendations used for antibiotics tests. The results showed that S. aureus was more susceptible than A. baumannii, to the chemicals that diffused from the wood. The transverse face discs exhibited higher antimicrobial activity. Samples that had been sterilized by autoclaving showed significantly (p < 0.05) lower antimicrobial activity, whereas the cutting method and origin of tree did not influence the antimicrobial activity of wood material. Therefore, the choice of sterilization method and cutting planes must be taken into account while studying and interpreting the antibacterial properties of wood material.