Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
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One hundred and seventy-two burn wound swabs obtained from 90 patients admitted to the Aljila Hospital Burn Unit, Benghazi over a 3-month period were processed to determine the microbial flora colonizing burns and their resistance patterns to selected locally available topical and systemic agents. Approximately 84.9 per cent of the swab specimens yielded growth of 11 bacterial species and Candida spp.; of these, Ps. aeruginosa, Staph. aureus and Klebsiella spp. predominated in order of prevalence, followed by Enterobacteria. ⋯ In studies in vitro using six topical agents, Ps. aeruginosa strains were most sensitive, in decreasing order, to mafenide acetate, silver sulphadiazine, acetic acid, silver nitrate and Eusol. Seventy-eight per cent of Staph. aureus isolates were resistant to methicillin and erythromycin and 93 per cent to tetracycline.
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Forty-seven children under the age of 5 years admitted for contact burns into the Burns Unit of the Birmingham Accident Hospital during the period 1981-88 were reviewed. Contact burns formed only 3.93 per cent of all the thermal injuries seen in this age group for the same period. ⋯ Although the sizes of the burns were generally small, the potential scarring and disability were recognized and this influenced the management. The prevention of contact burns from hot electric irons has been discussed and the need to look out for non-accidental injuries emphasized.