Microbiologic aspects of predominant bacteria isolated from the burn patients in Korea

The risk of infection in burns is well-known. In recent decades, the antimicrobial resistance of bacteria isolated from burn patients has increased. For this reason, we have carried out a study of the predominant bacterial profiles and antimicrobial resistance patterns of isolates from a burn center in Korea. A retrospective study was undertaken at Hallym University, Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital to examine the bacterial isolates from the burn patients and to compare the antibiograms of the predominant bacteria isolated from these patients with those of the other wards over a period of 3 years. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most common (n = 2997. 45.7%) isolate from the burn patients followed by Staphylococcus aureus (n = 21 261, 19.2%) and Acinetobacter baumannii (n = 878, 13.4%). These bacteria, isolated from the burn patients, were almost all higher in antimicrobial resistance rate than those in the non-burn patients (P < 0.05). Because these bacteria showed very high resistant rates, they must be avoided in order to control a hospital-acquired infection. Our results seem helpful in providing useful guidelines for choosing effective empiric antimicrobial therapy against bacteria isolated from the burn patients in Korea. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.