Prevalence of burn wound infections reported in a tertiary care hospital

Abstract

Skin is the largest organ of the body constituting 15 % of the total body weight⁽¹⁾ . It is foremost organ of defense from harsh effect of environment, extremes of temperature, bacteria viruses and pollutants (Bruce Achaeu, Plastic surgery indications). It serves as a major organ of host defense against infection being a mechanical barrier and carrying the cells of immunity⁽²⁾. The breach produced to this diversely significant multipurpose organ is a tremendous tragedy especially if the harm is as extensive as a burn injury. Not only the skin suffers but also the well protected internal organs and tissues leading to extensive systemic disorders in the form of fluid and protein loss⁽³⁾. Objectives: To find out the prevalence of burn wound infections reported in a tertiary care hospital and to correlate with age, gender, causes of burn and distribution of gender in relationship to causes of burns and occupation. Methodology: It is a prospective, non-randomized, descriptive study conducted at Microbiology laboratory, Pathology department and burn care center (BCC), Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Islamabad for 4 months, from 2^nd April to 3^rd August 2012. Sixty eight burn wound patients were enrolled in the study through a structured Performa. Results: Pus samples were collected from 68 patients out of which males were 36.8% and  females were 63.2 %. Female to male ratio was 1.72:1. 110 burn wound pathogens were isolated. Most of burnt patients were in the group of middle age adults between 19-40 years (30.8%), followed closely by teen agers and young children (29.4%). In all age groups females were significantly more than the males. In majority i.e. (58%) of patients, cause of burn was injury with direct flame. Flame burns were predominant in female patients i.e. 75% as compared to males. Conclusion: It was concluded that females were the predominant burn victims almost twice in number. Age between 2-40 years was the most affected population and the cause is mostly direct flame.