Microbiologic factors of stump wound infection

Specimens from 52 patients with stump wound infection (SWI) were studied for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Bacterial growth was present in 44 specimens. Only aerobic or facultative bacteria were recovered in 19 specimens, only aerobic bacteria in 12 and mixed aerobic, facultative and anaerobic bacteria in 13. One hundred and three isolates were recovered (2.3 per specimen)-58 aerobic or facultative (1.3 per specimen) and 45 anaerobic (1.0 per specimen). The predominant isolates were anaerobic cocci (17), Bacteroides species (13 isolates), Staphylococcus aureus (12) and Escherichia coli (11). Polymicrobial infection occurred in 36 instances. S. aureus was more commonly isolated and anaerobic bacteria were less commonly isolated in SWI of the arms, compared with legs. These data highlight the polymicrobial aerobic-anaerobic cause of SWI.