[Electron radioautographic study of a human infected wound]

Biopsies from burn (IIIa-IV degree, 20-55% of body surface) and large traumatic wounds of 18 patients were studied. The use of electron-microscopic radioautography made it possible to determine the viability and functional activity of bacteria and host cells in various wound areas. In the necrotic area, apart from a number of viable bacterial cells (intensely labelled with 3H-uridine), unlabelled bacterial cells with various structural alterations were found. Bacteria were found less frequently in the demarcation area; they were detected occasionally in the granulation tissue and only in macrophages. Phagosomes with viable or dead bacteria were observed in few neutrophils of the demarcation area. Here, the majority of neutrophils did not contain bacteria, but degranulation and many phagosomes with tissue detritus were observed. Correlation between the rate of RNA synthesis and functional activity of neutrophils was observed. In the blood neutrophils the RNA synthesis was not detected at all. In the blood neutrophils which were cultivated in vitro with staphylococci and in the wound neutrophils phagocytizing bacteria, the RNA synthesis became evident but slow. The authors established that a sharp increase of the RNA synthesis rate occurs in the neutrophils phagocytizing the dead tissues.