Wound tissue respiratory burst and local microbial inflammation

Local and systemic chemiluminescent (CL) response was measured in 32 patients with wound infection and in 27 patients with crush syndrome complicated by severe wound infection. The level of wound CL depends upon the local microbial concentration and the dynamics of wound healing. CL response of neutrophils in circulation was higher in higher local CL response, but extremely high wound microbial concentration (greater than 10(8) CFU/g) suppressed both local and systemic responses. No metabolic reserve was observed in wound tissue. Wound healing was characterized by changes in the mode of local CL response: from a prevalence of luminol-dependent (neutrophilic) CL to a prevalence of lucigenin-independent (macrophagal) CL.