Culture of material from the wound

Wound material seeding study

Wounds can arise in a variety of locations (affect any tissue or organ) and from a variety of causes (trauma, burns, after surgery, bites). Wounds often become infected if inadequate wound hygiene is practiced or if dressings are not applied quickly enough and antibiotic therapy is not implemented. Some people are more susceptible to developing them, such as those with chronic diseases, diabetes, the elderly, with weakened immunity, during chemotherapy or radiation therapy. All of these conditions also promote poorer wound healing.

The causative agent of infection is usually bacteria, with aerobic bacteria multiplying in the superficial layers of tissue, while abscesses can form within deeper structures, where anaerobic bacteria predominate. Pathogens sometimes come from outside the body (cuts, scrapes, puncture wounds), and in other cases it is the overgrowth of the natural bacterial flora that causes the infection.

Staphylococcus bacteria (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus) often lead to infections of the skinry and subcutaneous tissue, the development of conditionsry such as ulcers, sores, inflammation of the hair follicles. Still other pathogens of the genus streptococcusw cause common dermatological infections (rÂż, impetigo, pemphigus, cellulitis).

When it comes to infections after surgery, the highest incidence of infections is observed after abdominal procedures, in which case they are often caused by the flora of the gastrointestinal tract (e.g., Escherichia coli). Wounds resulting from bites can be infected with germs from the animal's mouth (e.g., Pasteurella species)

In the absence of timely treatment of the infection, a number of complications can arise, including the spread of bacteria into adjacent tissues or blood and causing infection of the whole body.

When to perform a culture of wound material?

The test is performed to identify the agent thatry caused the infection in the wound. Material for the test is collected with a sterile swab placed in the damaged tissue, or the fluid can be aspirated with a syringe if it has accumulated in deeper layers. Sometimes it is necessary to perform a biopsy (taking the prbka with a scalpel), for example, by cutting out part of the skinry. The material is then inoculated onto a culture medium and observed for the growth of specific typesof bacteria. Indicationsve for interpreting the result can provide information about the site and mechanism of the wound.

When infection from a wound is suspected to have spread beyond its original location, a blood culture can additionally be performed to see if the same bacteria will be cultured at both sites.

Who should perform a culture of wound material?

People with wounds suggesting the presence of infection:

• slowly healing
• wound deterioration despite treatment
• swelling, redness of the wound area
• sensation of tension, pulsation in the wound
• swollenness, bl and tenderness in the wound area
• drainage of fluid, leakage of pus
• presence of necrotic tissue, altered color of the wound area

Particularly when symptoms that may indicate the development of sepsis occur in the course of infection: fever, drop in blood pressure, increase in heart rate and respiratory rate, vomiting, diarrhea.