title: Infection in burn patients in a referral center in Colombia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Worldwide, burns are responsible for more than 300,000 deaths annually; infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in these patients. Early identification and treatment of infection improves outcome. Toward this end it's necessary to identify the institutions flora and organisms that most frequently produces infection.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To characterize infections developed by burn patients hospitalized at the University Hospital of Santander (HUS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Burn patients hospitalized in the HUS from January 1 to December 2014 were followed. Medical information regarding infections, laboratory and pathology reports were obtained. Statistical analysis with measures of central tendency, proportions, global and specific incidence density plus overall and specific incidence was obtained. For the microbiological profile proportions were established.
  
  
  RESULTS
  402 burn patients were included, 234 (58.2%) men and 168 (41.8%) women, aged between 6 days and 83 years, median 12.5 years. The burn agents include scald (52.5%), fire (10.0%), gasoline (9.2%), electricity (7.5%), among others. Burn area ranged from 1% to 80% TBS. Cumulative mortality was 1.5%. 27.8% of burned patients had one or more infections. Identified infections include folliculitis (27.0%), urinary tract infection (19.0%), infection of the burn wound (10.4%), pneumonia (8.6%), Central venous catheter (7.4%), bloodstream infection (7.4%) and skin grafts infection (4.3%) among others. Bacteria were responsible for 88.5% of the cases and fungi 11.5%. The most frequently isolated germs were P. aeruginosa, A. baumannii, E. coli, S. aureus and K. pneumoniae. Most gram-negative bacteria were sensitive to Amikacin, gram positive bacteria were sensitive to multiple antibiotics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Burns is a severe trauma that occurs in adult and pediatric patients, has several causative agents and can compromise the patient's life. The burned patient is at risk for a variety of infections. According to the type of infection it is possible to infer the most common causative organisms and their antibiotic sensitivity/resistance which allow a directed early empiric treatment.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Burn Center, University Hospital of Santander, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Colombia. Electronic address: carlosrami@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Carlos Enrique
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Ramirez-Blanco
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Burn Center, University Hospital of Santander, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Colombia. Electronic address: Ceramirezr1@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Carlos Enrique
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Ramirez-Rivero
authors.affiliation: University Hospital of Santander, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Colombia. Electronic address: ladimar@uis.edu.co.
authors.forename: Luis Alfonso
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Diaz-Martinez
authors.affiliation: University Hospital of Santander, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Colombia. Electronic address: lumisosa@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Luis Miguel
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Sosa-Avila
mesh_terms: D000151:Acinetobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D040981:Acinetobacter baumannii; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002056:Burns / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055499:Catheter-Related Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D062905:Central Venous Catheters; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004926:Escherichia coli; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005499:Folliculitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007710:Klebsiella Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010068:Oxacillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002511:Cephalosporins; D010068:Oxacillin
keywords: Burn wound infection; Burns; Health care related infection; Nosocomial infection; Pneumonia; Urinary tract infection