Pseudomonas infections in Tohid Burn Center, Iran

Burn injury is a major public health problem in many areas of the world. Ps eudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most common causes of burn wound infecti on in burn patients. Septicemia due to this organism is a major cause of mo rtality among burn patients. This study analyzed P. aeruginosa infections i n the Tohid Burn Center in Tehran during 1995-1997 in order to estimate the ir frequency, antibiotic susceptibility and their role in burn morbidity. A mong 2122 patients who were admitted during this study period, 3365 bacteri al strains were isolated and the frequency of P. aeruginosa was 73.9%. This was followed by Staphylococcus aureus (9.1%) and other organisms (17%) in frequency. The frequency of P. aeruginosa resistant to gentamicin, carbenic illin, co-trimoxazole, ceftizoxime and tetracycline was over 95% and resist ance to amikacin which was 49% in 1995, increased to 90% in 1997. With the introduction of ciprofloxacin at our burn center, the frequency of P. aerug inosa resistance increased from 45% in 1995, to 82% in 1997. P. aeruginosa was found more frequently in the ICU than in the wards. These findings show that P. aeruginosa remains the leading cause of nosocomial infections in o ur burn center. It is necessary to introduce urgent measures for restrictio n of the spread of P. aeruginosa infections in our burn center. (C) 1998 El sevier Science Ltd for ISBI. All rights reserved.