Bacillus cereus: a significant pathogen in postoperative and post-traumatic wounds on orthopaedic wards.
Over a period of 19 months, Bacillus species, most frequently B. cereus, were isolated from postoperative and post-traumatic wounds in 24 patients on orthopaedic wards in a Swedish hospital. Clinical signs of infection were found in all but 3 patients: in 9 patients, mild signs with increased secretion from the wounds; in 10 patients, moderate signs with fever and/or significant local reaction around the wounds; and in 2 patients, severe signs with necrotic infections. Bacillus spp. were isolated from one-fourth of all patients with wound complications following total hip arthroplasty. Their hospitalization was significantly prolonged, compared with a control group (p = 0.0042). Isolates of B. cereus from wounds should not be dismissed as contaminants or as non-pathogenic, but must be assessed in the light of the clinical situation.
Akesson
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Department of Infectious Diseases, Halmstad Hospital, Sweden.
Hedström
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SA
Ripa
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T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001178:Arthroplasty; D001409:Bacillus cereus / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000601:surgery; D006757:Hospital Units; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009985:Orthopedics; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000382:microbiology*; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000382:microbiology*