Polysaccharides including pectin, alginate and chitosan are fabricated into dressings of micrometer-scaled architecture (micro-fiber or particle) and widely applied in wound treatments clinically. This work characterized and compared the properties of electrospun nanofibrous dressings of these polysaccharides. We found that although the three polysaccharide nanofiber mats had comparable mechanical strength and vapour permeability, the pectinate nanofiber mat could absorb 1.2 times and 3.6 times more exudates than the alginate and chitosan nanofiber mats, respectively, within less time. Moreover, the pectinate nanofiber mat showed much higher antibacterial activity (73.1%) than the alginate and chitosan nanofiber mats (11.8% and 17.1%, respectively). Further examinations demonstrated that the superior absorbency and antibacterial activity of the pectinate nanofiber mat were associated with the moderate extent of swelling of pectinate nanofibers under hydrated conditions. All these results suggest that the pectinate nanofiber mat might be a superior wound dressing to the alginate and chitosan nanofiber mats. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.