Biomaterial Database

Quantitative microbiology in the management of burn patients. I. Correlation between quantitative and qualitative burn wound biopsy culture and surface alginate swab culture. 1996

J A Steer, and R P Papini, and A P Wilson, and D A McGrouther, and N Parkhouse

Department of Microbiology, University College London Hospitals, UK.

The diagnosis and treatment of burn wound infection is commonly determined by clinical impression and the qualitative results of surface swabs. It has been suggested that quantitative bacteriology from burn wound biopsies confirms burn wound infection and improves patient management. Methods for quantitating surface flora have been described, but comparisons with biopsy specimens have been contradictory. The quantitative and qualitative results of 141 pairs of biopsies and surface swabs, from 74 burn patients, were compared. Staph. aureus was the commonest organism isolated (29 per cent of biopsies and 35 per cent of swabs). Recovery of the same set of species from biopsy and swab occurred in 54 per cent of pairs. There was a significant correlation between the bacterial count obtained by biopsy and by surface swab (P < 0.001), but using various threshold values, the predictive value of the counts obtained by one method to predict the counts obtained by the other was poor. Parallel cultures taken on 18 occasions, showed a significant correlation between bacterial counts obtained from two biopsies or two swabs taken simultaneously (P < 0.002), but there was wide variation in bacterial densities from the same burn wound at the same time. Recovery of the same set of species from both biopsies occurred in 56 per cent of pairs, and from both swabs in 50 per cent of pairs. The use of quantitative microbiology in burns is limited by the unreliability of a single surface swab or biopsy to represent the whole burn wound.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011550	Pseudomonas aeruginosa	A species of gram-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped bacteria commonly isolated from clinical specimens (wound, burn, and urinary tract infections). It is also found widely distributed in soil and water. P. aeruginosa is a major agent of nosocomial infection.	Bacillus aeruginosus,Bacillus pyocyaneus,Bacterium aeruginosum,Bacterium pyocyaneum,Micrococcus pyocyaneus,Pseudomonas polycolor,Pseudomonas pyocyanea
D011552	Pseudomonas Infections	Infections with bacteria of the genus PSEUDOMONAS.	Infections, Pseudomonas,Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection,Infection, Pseudomonas,Pseudomonas Infection,Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections
D002056	Burns	Injuries to tissues caused by contact with heat, steam, chemicals (BURNS, CHEMICAL), electricity (BURNS, ELECTRIC), or the like.	Burn
D003470	Culture Media	Any liquid or solid preparation made specifically for the growth, storage, or transport of microorganisms or other types of cells. The variety of media that exist allow for the culturing of specific microorganisms and cell types, such as differential media, selective media, test media, and defined media. Solid media consist of liquid media that have been solidified with an agent such as AGAR or GELATIN.	Media, Culture
D005544	Forecasting	The prediction or projection of the nature of future problems or existing conditions based upon the extrapolation or interpretation of existing scientific data or by the application of scientific methodology.	Futurology,Projections and Predictions,Future,Predictions and Projections
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000150	Acinetobacter	A genus of gram-negative bacteria of the family MORAXELLACEAE, found in soil and water and of uncertain pathogenicity.	Herellea,Mima
D000151	Acinetobacter Infections	Infections with bacteria of the genus ACINETOBACTER.	Mimae Infections,Infections, Acinetobacter,Infections, Mimae,Acinetobacter Infection,Infection, Acinetobacter,Infection, Mimae,Mimae Infection
D000464	Alginates	Salts and esters of ALGINIC ACID that are used as HYDROGELS; DENTAL IMPRESSION MATERIALS, and as absorbent materials for surgical dressings (BANDAGES, HYDROCOLLOID). They are also used to manufacture MICROSPHERES and NANOPARTICLES for DIAGNOSTIC REAGENT KITS and DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS.	Alginate,Alginic Acid, Barium Salt,Alginic Acid, Calcium Salt,Alginic Acid, Copper Salt,Alginic Acid, Potassium Salt,Alginic Acid, Sodium Salt,Alloid G,Barium Alginate,Calcium Alginate,Calginat,Copper Alginate,Kalrostat,Kalrostat 2,Kaltostat,Potassium Alginate,Sodium Alginate,Sodium Calcium Alginate,Vocoloid,Xantalgin,poly(Mannuronic Acid), Sodium Salt,Alginate, Barium,Alginate, Calcium,Alginate, Copper,Alginate, Potassium,Alginate, Sodium,Alginate, Sodium Calcium,Calcium Alginate, Sodium
D001419	Bacteria	One of the three domains of life (the others being Eukarya and ARCHAEA), also called Eubacteria. They are unicellular prokaryotic microorganisms which generally possess rigid cell walls, multiply by cell division, and exhibit three principal forms: round or coccal, rodlike or bacillary, and spiral or spirochetal. Bacteria can be classified by their response to OXYGEN: aerobic, anaerobic, or facultatively anaerobic; by the mode by which they obtain their energy: chemotrophy (via chemical reaction) or PHOTOTROPHY (via light reaction); for chemotrophs by their source of chemical energy: CHEMOLITHOTROPHY (from inorganic compounds) or chemoorganotrophy (from organic compounds); and by their source for CARBON; NITROGEN; etc.; HETEROTROPHY (from organic sources) or AUTOTROPHY (from CARBON DIOXIDE). They can also be classified by whether or not they stain (based on the structure of their CELL WALLS) with CRYSTAL VIOLET dye: gram-negative or gram-positive.	Eubacteria