[The bacterial flora of decubitus ulcers and the effects of ultraviolet light on this flora]

Decubitus ulcers, their treatment, the effect of UV light on bacterial flora of these ulcers, different effects of UV light according to the wave length, the UV lamp used in experiments, and the bacterial flora of wounds in different phases are explained. From 21 patients, with decubitus ulcers under UV treatment, 974 samples were collected before and after UV treatments. These samples were cultured on blood agar plates by the isolation method in 5 steps. After 24 hours incubation, the colonies were counted at each step and then identified. It has seen that bacterial flora decreased gradually from 1 MED, up to 6 MED of UV exposure. (MED = Minimal eritemal dose = about 1 minute) From 6 MED up to 20 MED the rate of decrease remained almost at the same level as in 6 MED. The number of colonies at each step before and after UV exposures were compared with each other. Only the averages of first steps in every MED, their standard errors and (P) values are shown in table III. The ulcers showed higher granulation tissue and faster healing parallel to the effect of UV light on bacteria. In cultures from 974 samples, pseudomonas was most commonly found, followed by diphtheroides, hemolytic staphylococci, non-hemolytic staphylococci, Gram (--) micrococci, proteus, mima (only in two patients), candida, saprophytic staphylococci, neisseria, haemophilus, and aerobic spore-forming bacilli.