Bacterial infection pattern in ventilated burn patients in the southwest of Iran

Burn is one of the most traumatic injuries and life-threatening states which is a global public health problem, accounting for an estimated 180 000 deaths annually. In burn trauma patients, intubation and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a major threat. Added to other complications this may be responsible for the higher morbimortality of burn patients. In this one-year cross-sectional study (September 2018 to September 2019), a total of 70 patients hospitalized in the burn ICU ward were sampled according to the study criteria. Cases were hospitalized in Amir-al-Momenin burn hospital, affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Tracheal samples were evaluated for bacterial infection with standard microbiological techniques. In the following process, an antibacterial susceptibility test was performed for confirmed isolates with the Kirby-Bauer method and recommended antibiotics by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. According to the results of the study, a total of 21 (30%) positive growth samples were detected. The age range of patients was estimated at 1–60 years old with the mean age 29.61±21.56 years. The lowest resistance rate was seen in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus isolates against gentamycin. Based on the results, it was seen that all Escherichia coli isolates were resistant against all of the examined antibiotics. Appropriate infection control policies and knowing the antimicrobial pattern in burn patients especially in intensive care units may help to provide the best treatment for burn patients and save their life.