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THE ROLE OF BACTERIA IN BURN MORTALITY
Author(s) -
Markley Kehl
Publication year - 1968
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1968.tb14743.x
Subject(s) - sulfadiazine , bacteria , silver sulfadiazine , shock (circulatory) , microbiology and biotechnology , antibiotics , mortality rate , biology , escherichia coli , pseudomonas aeruginosa , medicine , septic shock , immunology , sepsis , wound healing , biochemistry , genetics , gene
SUMMARY In summary, the evidence for the role of bacteria in burn mortality is: A majority of severely burned mice showed positive blood cultures during shock period; gram‐negative bacteria predominated. Germ‐free mice showed a significant reduction in mortality during the shock period and later compared with conventional mice. Pretreatment of conventional mice with sulfadiazine and/or antibiotics reduced shock and late mortality after burns. E. coli added to the environment of mice reared in the absence of E. coli significantly increased shock mortality after severe burns. Burned conventional and germ‐free mice were up to 1000 times more sensitive to E. coli endotoxin during the shock period than unburned mice. E. coli endotoxin injected after thermal trauma made burned mice more susceptible to death after local pseudomonas challenge. Conventional mice made tolerant to E. coli endotoxin were more resistant to burn shock mortality. These results show conclusively for the first time that bacteria do play an important role in early or shock mortality as well as in late mortality after thermal injury.