Michelle Guo¹, Tanya du Plessis¹, Veronica Payle², Susan Taylor², Richard Wong-She³

¹ Clinical Pharmacy, Middlemore Hospital
² Microbiology, Middlemore Hospital
³ Burns Unit, Middlemore Hospital

Infection is a major cause of mortality in burns patients, attributing to 75% of all deaths (Vindenes and Bjerknes, 1995). There is significant variability in the bacteriological profile of different burn centres, in both common organisms isolated as well as the associated resistance patterns. Studies have shown that gram positive organisms predominate initial colonisation and are replaced by gram negative organisms during the course of hospital stay (Kumar et al, 2001). There is limited literature describing the microbiological profile, antibiogram and associated demographics of adult burns patients in New Zealand.

For this reason, a retrospective study has been designed to identify the time-dependant emergence of bacterial pathogens and antibiotic sensitivity of isolates. The study aims to describe the demographics of burns patients admitted to our hospital as well as the key organisms associated with the total body surface area burns.

The study will include all adult burns patients admitted to Middlemore Hospital over a period of 5 years, January 2010 to December 2015. Patients will be identified using discharge ICD-10 codes (2016 version) and laboratory information system to obtain the relevant data. Specimens will include wound swabs and tissue, blood cultures, venous catheter tips, tracheal aspirates and sputum.

Key Words

antibiogram, burns, microbiology, new zealand, resistance patterns

References

Vindenes, H., Bjerknes, R. 1995. Microbial colonization of large wounds. Burns, 21: 575 9.
Kumar, V., Bhatnagar, S.K., Singh, A.K., Kumar, S., Mishra, R.K. 2001. Burn wound infection: A study of 50 cases with special reference to antibiotic resistance. Indian J. Biol. Res., 46: 66 69.

Biography

Burns clinical pharmacist working for the National Burns Centre at Middlemore Hospital.