Bacteriology of burns

A retrospective study was undertaken at University College of Medical Sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Delhi, to examine the bacterial isolates from the Burns unit and to determine the antibiograms of the isolates to commonly used antimicrobial agents. A total of 600 pus samples from as many patients received, over a period of 5 years (June 1993–June 1997) yielded 920 isolates. Pseudonomonas spp. was the most common (36%) followed by Staphylococcus aureus (19%), Klebsiella spp. (15.54%), Proteus spp. (11.19%), Enterococcus faecalis (8.5%), Escherichia coli (5.10%), Acinetobacter spp. (1.1%), Salmonella senftenberg (0.8%) and other (3%). Pseudomonas spp. was the most susceptible to ceftazidime (83% susceptible) and cefoperazone (82% susceptible), whereas the drugs most effective in other Gram-negative organisms were amikacin, netilmicin and ciproflox. Vancomycin was effective in 100% of Gram-positive organisms. The infection of burn wounds with multiple organisms, with the superadded problem of drug resistance, necessitate the institution of a drug policy by the hospitals for burn patients.