title: Is a wound swab for microbiological analysis supportive in the clinical assessment of infection of a chronic wound?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether bacteriological analysis of a wound swab is supportive in the clinical assessment of infection of a chronic wound.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients attending an outpatient wound clinic who had endured a chronic wound for more than 3 weeks were clinically assessed for infection. In addition, standardized wound swabs were taken according to the Levine technique and the microbiological findings of the swabs compared with the clinical assessment of the wounds.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant relationship between the clinical assessments of the chronic wounds and the qualitative or quantitative bacteriological results of the swabs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Microbiological analysis of wound swabs taken from chronic wounds to support clinical assessment of the wounds is waste of time and money. It may be preferable to assess chronic wounds clinically, however, validation studies of these signs and symptoms are needed.
authors.affiliation: De Zorggroep, PO Box 694, 5900 AR Venlo, The Netherlands.|Maastricht University, CAPHRI, School of Public Health & Primary Care, Department of Health Services Research, PO Box 616, 6200 MB Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Armand A L M
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Rondas
authors.affiliation: Maastricht University, CAPHRI, School of Public Health & Primary Care, Department of Health Services Research, PO Box 616, 6200 MB Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ruud J G
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Halfens
authors.affiliation: Maastricht University, CAPHRI, School of Public Health & Primary Care, Department of Health Services Research, PO Box 616, 6200 MB Maastricht, The Netherlands.|Maastricht University, CAPHRI, School of Public Health & Primary Care, Department of Family Medicine, PO Box 616, 6200 MB Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jos M G A
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Schols
authors.affiliation: Buurtzorg Nederland, PO Box 69, 7600 AB, Almelo, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Kelly P T
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Thiesen
authors.affiliation: VieCuri Medical Centre, Department of Microbiology, PO Box 1926, 5900 BX Venlo, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Thera A M
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Trienekens
authors.affiliation: Maastricht University, CAPHRI, School of Public Health & Primary Care, Department of Health Services Research, PO Box 616, 6200 MB Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ellen E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Stobberingh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: chronic wounds; clinical diagnosis; infection; swab; wound assessment; wound infection; wounds