Nosocomial infections in an Iranian burn care center

Burn patients are obviously at high risk for nosocomial infections due to t he immunocompromizing effects of burn injury. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important life-threatening nosocomial pathogen in burn units. The aim of th is study was to determine nosocomial infections in the Tohid Burn Center in Tehran, Iran. Materials of this study were samples of burn wounds and bloo d from 582 patients who required hospitalization during March 1996 and Sept ember 1998. Burn wound samples were taken on admission day, 3 and 7 days af ter admission. Frequency of culture positive on admission day, 3 and 7 days after admission were 15, 66, and 88%, respectively. Frequency of P. aerugi nosa and Staphylococcus aureus on admission day were 35 and 34%, on the thi rd day after admission 73 and 15%, and at the end of the first week of admi ssion 87 and 9%, respectively. Frequency of blood culture positive was 36% (19/53) of which 89% were P. aeruginosa. Overall mortality rate was 18.5% ( 108/ 582). Of these patients, frequency of positive wound culture was 92% ( 99/108). In conclusion, our results show that P. aeruginosa is the leading cause of nosocomial infections in our burn center. It is also necessary to introduce urgent measures for restriction of the spread of P. aeruginosa in fections in our burn center. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd and ISBI. All ri ghts reserved.