[Wound infections after surgery. The interaction of surgical substances and bacteria]

A series of experimental studies have shown that the infection dosage of S. aureus can be reduced from 10(6)-10(9) bacteria to a mere thousand or so, if the dose is given together with such foreign matter as suture material or glove talcum. Our knowledge of bacterial interactions with different substances, such as serum and connective tissue components that may act as links between bacteria and sutures, catheters or prosthetic surfaces, is still incomplete, however.