Clinical features and pathogens for burn wound infections in a northwestern hospital from 2014 to 2023

OBJECTIVE To investigate the epidemiological characteristics, clinical features and distribution of pathogens isolated from the burn wound patients with infections in a northwestern hospital from 2014 to 2023 so as to provide bases for prevention and treatment of burn wound infections in the northwestern region.

METHODS The epidemiological characteristics, clinical features and distribution of pathogenic isolated from the burn wound patients with infections who were treated in the 940th Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force from 2014 to 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS A total of 2122 burn wound patients were enrolled in the study, 397 (18.71%) of whom had infections, including 306 (14.42%) patients with community-acquired infections and 91 (4.29%) patients with hospital-acquired infections. The proportion infections was higher among the patients aged no less than 60 years old (63/154) than among the patients aged less than 14 years old (231/983) and the patients aged between 14 and 60 years old (103/985) (χ²=108.840, P < 0.001). The proportion of infections was higher among the patients with the burn wound depth no less than grade Ⅲ (146/458) than among the patients with the burn wound depth no less than grade Ⅱ (251/1664) (χ²=66.600, P < 0.001). The proportion infections was higher among the patients with burn wounds in limbs (370/1881) than among the patients with burn wounds in other sites (1153/1987)(χ²= 47.244, P < 0.001). The isolation rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis and carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains showed downward trends from 2014 to 2023, the isolation rates of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and the third generation cephalosporins-resistant Escherichia coli showed upward trends, however, there were no significant differences.

CONCLUSIONS The patients with no less than 60 years of age, no lower than grade Ⅲ of burn wound depth and burn wounds in limbs are more likely to have burn wound infections. S. aureus is the predominant species of pathogens causing the infections. The isolation rates of carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae strains and the third generation cephalosporins-resistant E. coli strains show upward trends. It is necessary to take targeted prevention and treatment measures for the burn wound infections.