Related Experiment Videos
Summary
Hand infection bacteria have changed, with Staphylococcus aureus decreasing and Gram-negative bacteria increasing. Antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus also rose significantly, particularly to penicillin.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
- Hand Surgery
Background:
- Bacteriologic flora in hand infections may be changing.
- Antibiotic susceptibility patterns are also subject to alteration over time.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess changes in bacteriologic flora of hand infections.
- To evaluate alterations in antibiotic susceptibility over a 20-year period.
Main Methods:
- A 20-year review of acute hand infections was conducted.
- Representative years across the two decades were fully evaluated.
Main Results:
- Staphylococcus aureus infections decreased from 82% (1960) to 34% (1980).
- Pure Gram-positive cultures declined from 85% to 50% during the study.
- Mixed Gram-positive and Gram-negative infections increased from 8% to 39%.
- Staphylococcus aureus susceptibility to penicillin dropped from 72% to 9%.
Conclusions:
- Significant shifts in the bacteriologic landscape of hand infections occurred.
- Increased prevalence of mixed infections and decreased susceptibility to penicillin were observed.
- Emerging resistance patterns necessitate updated treatment strategies for hand infections.