BACTERIAL-COLONIZATION AND HEALING OF VENOUS LEG ULCERS

The aim of the study was to evaluate a possible influence of selected bacterial species on healing of venous leg ulcers. Fifty-nine patients with venous leg ulcers were followed via frequent semiquantitative cu lture of bacteria from the ulcer surface and determination of the ulce r area over a period of 180 days. Occurrences of cellulitis were treat ed with systemic antibiotics. There was a significant difference in re lative areas on days 90 and 180 when ulcers with growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were compared to those without (p = 0.0080 and 0.0133, res pectively). Ulcers with P. aeruginosa were characterized to a great ex tent by enlargement in contrast to those without. Ulcers with growth o f Staphylococcus aureus or haemolytic streptococci healed significantl y more slowly than those without when relative areas were compared on day 180 (p = 0.0079 and 0.0492, respectively). Complete healing within the observation period of 180 days was observed in 10.5% of patients with P. aeruginosa and 35% of those without (p = 0.0631), in 21.6% of patients with S. aureus and 62.5% of those without (p = 0.0278), and i n 10.5% of patients with haemolytic streptococci and 35% of those with out (p = 0.0631). The initial areas of ulcers colonized with P. aerugi nosa or S. aureus were significantly larger than those without, but no significant correlation between initial areas and ulcer healing was r evealed. Conclusion: Our results suggest that P. aeruginosa in venous leg ulcers can induce ulcer enlargement and/or cause a healing delay. The results also suggest a healing delay caused by S. aureus and haemo lytic streptococci. However, conclusions have to be treated with cauti on since P. aeruginosa was found in combination with haemolytic strept ococci in 15.3% of the patients.