Authors : Arthi K, Deepa R, Mangala A
DOI : 10.18231/2394-5478.2018.0087
Volume : 5
Issue : 3
Year : 0
Page No : 421-424
Introduction: Quantitative Microbiology involves measurement of an absolute quantity of bacteria per unit of volume. The threshold to distinguish colonisation from infection is 105 CFU/g. Quantitative cultures are used in predicting the risk of post operative infection.
Aim: To determine the role of quantitative bacteriology as a predictor of risk of infection in patients with open fractures.
Materials and Methods: One hundred patients who had sustained open fractures of long bones were included in the study. During debridement before antiseptic wash, a piece of tissue (muscle/skin) was collected under aseptic precautions for quantitative culture. A quantitative count of ? 104cfu/gm was interpreted as significant microbial burden. These patients were followed up for 6 weeks for development of clinical signs of infection and two swabs were collected by Levine’s technique for semiquantitative culture.
Results: The preoperative culture of the debrided tissue of 41% yielded a microbial load of ?104 cfu/gram among which 85.3% had 105 cfu/gram of microbial load. Polymicrobial growth was reported in 12.2% of patients. Postoperatively 39% developed signs of infection Seventy one percent of patients with 105 cfu/gram of microbial load in the preoperative period developed postoperative infection. All patients with polymicrobial growth in the preoperative debridement cultures with ?104 cfu/gm of microbial load, developed infection in the postoperative period.
Conclusion: Quantitative Microbiology plays a precise role in predicting the risk of infection as it is valuable in estimating the bacterial bioburden. Polymicrobal etiology can lead to clinical infection if not managed effectively.
Keywords: Quantitative, Infection, Bioburden, Fracture, Debridement.