Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026
Swine Model of Biofilm Infection and Invisible Wounds
Published on: June 16, 2023
Microbiological study of pathogenic bacteria isolated from paediatric wound infections following the 2008 Wenchuan
Ying-Chun Ran1, Xiao-Xiao Ao, Lan Liu
1Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Insights
Following the Wenchuan earthquake, bacterial wound infections in children showed a shift towards drug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens like Acinetobacter baumannii, necessitating updated treatment protocols.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Disaster Medicine
Background:
- The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake caused widespread injuries, leading to a significant number of children requiring hospitalization for wound infections.
- Understanding the microbial landscape and antimicrobial resistance patterns post-disaster is crucial for effective clinical management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the spectrum of bacterial pathogens and their antimicrobial resistance profiles in children with wound infections in the aftermath of the Wenchuan earthquake.
- To compare these findings with pre-earthquake data to identify significant changes in pathogen distribution and resistance.
Main Methods:
- Wound secretions from 98 injured children admitted within one month post-earthquake were cultured for bacterial isolation.
- Pathogen identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were performed.
- Results were compared to a cohort of 546 general hospitalized cases from the preceding year.
Main Results:
- A total of 99 pathogens were isolated, with Gram-negative bacteria (82%) predominating over Gram-positive bacteria (16%).
- Key pathogens post-earthquake included Acinetobacter baumannii (27%), Enterobacter cloacae (18%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (13%).
- Higher rates of drug-resistant bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae, were observed compared to pre-earthquake cases. Multidrug-resistant and pandrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii were also more frequent.
Conclusions:
- The Wenchuan earthquake led to a significant shift in the predominant bacterial pathogens causing wound infections in children.
- There was a marked increase in the prevalence of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria.
- These findings underscore the need for updated empirical antibiotic strategies in post-disaster settings to address evolving resistance patterns.
Abstract:
On 12 May 2008, the Wenchuan earthquake struck in Sichuan, China. Within 1 month after the earthquake, 98 injured children were admitted to the Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. According to clinical manifestations, 50 children were diagnosed with wound infections. Wound secretions were cultured for bacteria. Pathogen distribution and drug resistance were analyzed. A total of 99 pathogens were isolated; 16 (16%) were Gram-positive bacteria and 81 (82%) were Gram-negative bacteria. The distribution of pathogens isolated within 1 month after the earthquake was different to the distribution of pathogens in 546 general hospitalized cases in the y before the earthquake. The pathogens most frequently isolated 1 month after the earthquake were Acinetobacter baumannii (27%), Enterobacter cloacae (18%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (13%). The pathogens most frequently isolated in the y prior to the earthquake were Escherichia coli (27%), Staphylococcus aureus (23%) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (9%). The rate of isolated drug-resistant bacteria was higher in the earthquake cases than in the general hospitalized cases. In the cases injured in the earthquake, the rates of isolation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing E. cloacae, E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were higher than in the cases from before the earthquake. Multidrug-resistant and pandrug-resistant A. baumannii were isolated at a higher rate in cases after the earthquake than in those before the earthquake. These changes in the spectrum of pathogens and in the drug resistance of the pathogens isolated following an earthquake will provide the basis for emergency treatment after earthquakes.
