Resumen

MORALES, Carlos H et al. Infection in burn patients at Hospital Universitario San Vicente de Paúl, Medellín, Colombia. rev. colomb. cir. [online]. 2010, vol.25, n.4, pp.267-275. ISSN 2011-7582.

Objective: To describe the incidence of infection among burn patients, the microbiological behavior of such infections and to explore the involved risk factors. Material and methods: Prospective survey carried out at the Burn Unit of University Hospital San Vicente de Paúl (Medellín, Colombia) in the period August 1, 2006, to July31, 2008. All burn patients of any age admitted to the Burn Unit were included. Results: Of the total of 655 patients, 85 patients developed infection (12,9%), distributed as follows: 63 skin infections (9.6%), 15 urinary tract infections (2.2%), and 7 pneumonias (1.0%). Skin culture isolates showed Pseudomona aeruginosa in 22 cases (20.4%), Staphylococcus aureus in 21 (19.4%), Acinetobacter baumannii in 12 (11.1%), Enterobacter cloacae in 10 (9.3%), Enterococcus faecalis in 9 (8.3%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli in two cases, each one (1.9%). Deep second degree and third degree burns developed infection more frequently, as did extended burns, probably due to greater systemic compromise, a protracted hospitalization and a larger number of surgical procedures. Conclusions: The incidence of infection and the most commonly isolated microorganisms vary among each institution. Thus, the importance of recording epidemiological data and being aware of the microorganisms responsible for infection at each burn unit. Risk factors for the development of infection are body area burned, depth of burns, and age.

Palabras clave : burn units; infection; microbiology; risk factors.

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