Microbiological evaluation of infected wounds of the extremities in 214 adults

Objective-The aim of this multicentre prospective study was to analyse micr obial pathogens cultured from an infected wound. Methods-The study was performed in the emergency rooms of 10 public hospita ls. All adult patients with a clinical diagnosis of cellulitis after a woun d in the upper or lower extremities were included. Cultures were obtained w ith swabs from infected lesions. Alicro-organisms cultured were identified by the usual methods and susceptibility testing was performed. Results-The study population consisted of 214 patients, 153 men and 61 wome n, with a mean (SD) age of 40 (10) years. Wound cultures remained sterile i n 28 cases and infected with micro-organisms in 186 cases. Of the 186 posit ive cultures, three were not identified. Of the 183 remaining cultures, one micro-organism was present in 132 patients (62%) and several micro-organis ms in 51 patients (24%). A total of 248 micro-organisms were isolated in 18 3 patients. Staphylococcus and streptococcus were the most frequently isola ted micro-organisms (56% and 21% respectively) followed by Gram negative ba cilli (18%). Determination of the susceptibility to the antibiotics commonl y used to treat wound infections showed resistance in some cases. Conclusion-These results support the need always to take culture specimens fi om infected wounds for microbiological evaluation and antibiotic suscept ibility determination, so that adapted chemotherapy can be prescribed.