Nosocomial infections in an Iranian burn care center

Burn patients are obviously at high risk for nosocomial infections due to the immunocompromizing effects of burn injury. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important life-threatening nosocomial pathogen in burn units. The aim of this study was to determine nosocomial infections in the Tohid Burn Center in Tehran, Iran. Materials of this study were samples of burn wounds and blood from 582 patients who required hospitalization during March 1996 and September 1998. Burn wound samples were taken on admission day, 3 and 7 days after admission. Frequency of culture positive on admission day, 3 and 7 days after admission were 15, 66, and 88%, respectively. Frequency of P. aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus on admission day were 35 and 34%, on the third day after admission 73 and 15%, and at the end of the first week of admission 87 and 9%, respectively. Frequency of blood culture positive was 36% (19/53) of which 89% were P. aeruginosa. Overall mortality rate was 18.5% (108/582). Of these patients, frequency of positive wound culture was 92% (99/108). In conclusion, our results show that P. aeruginosa is the leading cause of nosocomial infections in our burn center. It is also necessary to introduce urgent measures for restriction of the spread of P. aeruginosa infections in our burn center.