Dermal ulcer cultures: frequency and associated symptoms

The identification of the colonized versus the infected dermal ulcer continues to be a major challenge for clinical practitioners. The purposes of this 3-month, prospective study were (1) to examine the current practice of culturing and use of antibiotics in treating dermal ulcers and (2) to examine associated symptoms of infected dermal ulcers in a 250-bed community hospital. A consecutive series design was used to obtain all patients (N = 63). The study revealed that 70% (44) of the patients dermal ulcers were not cultured. Additionally, symptoms normally associated with dermal ulcer infection, such as erythema, swelling, and abnormal drainage, were not always present in patients with infectious dermal ulcers.