[Open leg fracture with Bacillus cereus infection].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate leg fractures infected with Bacillus cereus in a traumatology-orthopedic ward of a university hospital.


METHODS
All B. cereus strains isolated from patients with leg fracture hospitalized in the traumatology-orthopedic ward between 1995 and 2004 were included in this retrospective study.


RESULTS
Five hundred and four patients had leg fracture during this period. Thirty-four patients were included in this retrospective study. B. cereus strains clinical isolates were mainly isolated from patients who had initially leg fractures with telluric contamination (wound contamination with terrestrial environments) before admission. Betalactam antibiotics used for prophylactic chemotherapy were not effective against B. cereus.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, we underscore the significance of Sfar recommendations concerning prophylactic chemotherapy. However, B. cereus could be termed an emerging pathogen and physicians need to be aware of its potential importance in trauma cases. In this purpose, a systematic screening for B. cereus at admission should be necessary in front of patients with open fractures associated with telluric contamination. Furthermore, if B. cereus is isolated, chemotherapy should be based upon ciprofloxacin during 2 or 6 weeks.
Nguyen
L
L
Département d'anesthésie et de réanimation, CHU de Toulouse, hôpital Rangueil, université Paul-Sabatier, Toulouse, France.
Minville
V
V
Bensafi
H
H
Laffosse
J-M
JM
Chassery
C
C
Archambaud
M
M
Wagner
A
A
Chaminade
B
B
Bonnet
E
E
D000328:Adult; D001409:Bacillus cereus; D005260:Female; D005597:Fractures, Open / Q000150:complications*; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007867:Leg Bones / Q000293:injuries*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies