Chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibers with antibacterial activity were prepared by the electrospinning of a chitosan/PVA solution with a small amount of silver nitrate (AgNO(3)) and titanium dioxide (TiO(2)). Nanofibers with diameters of 270-360 nm were obtained. The yield of low-viscosity chitosan (LCS)/PVA nanofibers was higher than that of high-viscosity chitosan (HCS)/PVA, and the water content of the HCS/PVA nanofibers and the LCS/PVA nanofibers were 430 and 390%, respectively. The nanofibers developed in this study exhibited antibacterial activities of 99 and 98% against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, respectively. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 111: 2892-2899,2009