重症监护室烧伤感染患者脓毒症的病原菌分布及影响因素研究

目的:探讨重症监护室(ICU)烧伤感染患者脓毒症的发生情况及病原菌分布,并分析其危险因素,为防治ICU烧伤感染患者脓毒症提供理论依据。方法:收集我院2016年7月-2019年7月期间的86例ICU烧伤感染患者的临床资料,依据是否发生脓毒症,将其分为脓毒症组和非脓毒症组,比较两组的基本资料等情况,分析ICU烧伤感染患者脓毒症的发生率及病原菌分布,并分析ICU烧伤感染患者脓毒症发生的影响因素。结果:86例ICU烧伤感染患者中有33例发生脓毒症,发生率为38.37%;ICU烧伤感染患者脓毒症病原菌主要是革兰阴性杆菌(占54.55%),其次是革兰阳性球菌(占42.42%);单因素结果分析发现,烧伤至入院时间、合并糖尿病、吸入性损伤、首次手术时间以及烧伤面积与ICU烧伤感染患者脓毒症的发生有关(P<0.05);多因素Logistic回归分析发现,首次手术时间>2d、TBSA>50%是ICU烧伤感染患者脓毒症发生的独立危险因素(P<0.05)。结论:ICU烧伤感染患者易发生脓毒症,首次手术时间>2d以及TBSA>50%是其发生的独立危险因素,临床应采取针对性预防措施,以降低ICU烧伤感染患者脓毒症发生率。     

The relationships between burn pain, anxiety and depression

This study examined the interrelationships between anxiety, depression and pain in burn injured patients. Seventy patients with severe burns were interviewed within two weeks of their burn trauma. The short form of McGill Pain Questionnaire and a visual analog scale were employed to measure the pain experienced at rest. Anxiety and depression levels were assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory. The results showed that significant number of patients had suffered from depressive and anxious symptomatology. Higher levels of anxiety and depression were associated with higher pain scores. Percent of total body surface burned was associated with increased pain scores, anxiety and depression. The authors emphasises the need for accurate multidisciplinary assessment and treatment of pain and psychological disorders in burn injured patients which needs to be highly individualized and frequently adjusted according to the patients specific needs.     

The Impacts of Dispositional Optimism and Psychological Resilience on the Subjective Well-Being of Burn Patients: A Structural Equation Modelling Analysis

Burn wounds are severely stressful events that can have a significant impact on the mental health of patients. However, the impact of burns on individuals with different personality traits can be different. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of dispositional optimism on the subjective well-being of burn patients, and mainly focused on the confirmation of the mediator role of psychological resilience. 410 burn patients from five general hospitals in Xi''an accomplished the revised Life Orientation Test, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and Subjective Well-Being (SWB) scale. The results revealed that both dispositional optimism and psychological resilience were significantly correlated with SWB. Structural equation modelling indicated that psychological resilience partially mediated the relationship between dispositional optimism and SWB. The current findings extended prior reports and shed some light on how dispositional optimism influenced SWB. Limitations of the study were considered and suggestions for future studies were also discussed.     

重度烧伤患者细菌感染菌群分布及影响因素

目的 探讨重度烧伤患者细菌感染的菌群分布并分析其影响因素。 方法 选取我院2017年1月-2019年1月收治的重度烧伤患者212例,普通培养烧伤后10~15 d创面分泌物,观察细菌感染菌群分布情况,并从性别、年龄、烧伤深度、烧伤面积、低蛋白血症、糖尿病、早期休克、延迟复苏、血红蛋白尿、吸入性损伤、抗菌药物使用等方面分析重度烧伤患者感染的影响因素。 结果 212例重度烧伤患者中有89例患者发生创面感染,感染率为41.98％。89例发生创面细菌感染患者中:26例感染鲍氏不动杆菌,占29.21％;20例感染金黄色葡萄球菌,占22.47％;17例感染铜绿假单胞菌,占19.10％;12例感染肺炎克雷伯菌,占13.48％;8例感染大肠杆菌,占8.99％;4例感染变形杆菌,占4.49％;2例感染不动杆菌,占2.25％。影响重度烧伤患者细菌感染的单因素有烧伤面积、低蛋白血症、糖尿病、早期休克、延迟复苏、吸入性损伤(P结论 重度烧伤患者易发生细菌感染,感染影响因素有烧伤面积、低蛋白血症、糖尿病、早期休克、延迟复苏、吸入性损伤,临床应针对危险因素积极采取防治措施,控制细菌感染发生率,促进患者康复。     

Prognostic significance of erythroblasts in burns

Changes in hematopoiesis that occur in humans after a burn injury may have important effects on morbidity and mortality. In patients with a variety of severe diseases, the presence of erythroblasts in peripheral blood is known to be indicative of a poor prognosis. However, the prognostic significance of erythroblasts in peripheral blood of burn patients has not yet been estimated. This study included 464 consecutive burn patients, of whom 81 did not survive their injuries (17.5 percent). Together with erythroblasts in blood, data on age, sex, total burn surface area, third-degree burn, inhalation trauma, white blood cell count, C-reactive protein, and hemoglobin were studied. The mortality rate of patients with erythroblasts in peripheral blood (n = 53) amounted to 56.6 percent (n = 30; total burn surface area, 39 percent), which is significantly higher (p < 0.001) than the mortality rate of patients without erythroblasts (12.4 percent, n = 51; total burn surface area, 18.69 percent). None of the 10 patients with more than 1000 erythroblasts x 10/liter survived. The detection of erythroblasts in the peripheral blood of burn patients is highly predictive of death, with the odds ratio after adjustment for the other known prognostic factors being 8.3 (95 percent confidence interval, 4.5 to 15.3). Erythroblasts were detected for the first time on average 10 +/- 4 days (median, 6 days) after admission and 13 +/- 6 days (median, 7 days) before death. Detection of erythroblasts in burn patients is of high prognostic power with regard to in-hospital mortality, providing physicians with a strong prognostic method with which to identify seriously threatened patients. It seems attractive to think about an incorporation of erythroblasts into further refinements of burn scores.     

Psychogenic stress prior to burn injury has differential effects on bone marrow and cytokine responses

It is well known that many burn patients experience psychopathological disorders prior to burn injury. However, it is not known whether individuals that have been exposed to chronic psychological stresses will respond differently than unstressed individuals when challenged by a burn injury. In this study, we assessed whether chronic psychogenic stress prior to burn injury had any significant impact on burn injury-induced alterations in the myeloid compartment in the bone marrow and serum cytokine levels utilizing a well-controlled purely psychogenic stress model (predator exposure). Mice were individually caged and exposed to a Long Evans rat for 1 hr a day on 3 consecutive days prior to a 15% total body surface area flame burn. Four days after burn injury, bone marrow and serum were collected to assess myeloid cells and cytokine levels, respectively. Bone marrow cells were cultured in granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) to assess clonogenic ability. Flow cytometry was also used to characterize the populations of myeloid cells based on Gr-1 and CD11b staining intensity and to determine the expression of the macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor (M-CSFR). Serum was assayed for IL-6, IL-12p70, MCP-1, and IFN-gamma by multiplexed sandwich enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA). We found that predator exposure prior to burn injury ablated the burn-induced increase in myeloid colony formation and attenuated the burn-induced increases in immature monocytes and immature neutrophils in the bone marrow, as well as MCP-1 levels in the serum. Conversely, psychogenic stress exaggerated the burn-induced increase in the number of M-CSFR-positive cells. This study is the first to show the effects of a pure psychogenic stressor (predator exposure) on burn-induced alterations of the immune system. The clinical ramifications of our findings remain to be elucidated.     

数字化血管三维模型对烧伤患者面部修复术术后皮瓣存活的影响

目的:探讨数字化血管三维模型对烧伤患者面部修复术术后皮瓣存活的影响。方法:选择2012年4月至2017年4月在我院接受组织瓣转移面部修复术的烧伤患者146例,分为对照组(n=64)和研究组(n=82)。对照组术前采用超声多普勒探测患者供区皮瓣的血管位置,走向并标记探测结果,根据多普勒探测结果结合术前设计行皮瓣转移术。观察组术前3~5 d采用CTA技术检查患者供区皮瓣面部受区血管位置、血管走向等,将检查结果通过计算机进行血管三维重建,根据皮瓣血管与受区血管重建模型修订手术方案后行皮瓣转移术。观察和比较手术时间、术后感染发生率、皮瓣断蒂时间、皮瓣血运障碍发生率和术后皮瓣坏死率。结果:研究组手术时间显著短于对照组(P0.01),两组术后感染发生率分别为7.81%和1.21%,研究组明显低于对照组(P0.01)。研究组的皮瓣断蒂时间为17.1±2.5 d,明显短于对照组(21.3±2.8 d,P0.01);对照组皮瓣血运障碍发生率为17.19%,研究组并未发现血运障碍病例。对照组术后皮瓣坏死率为7.81%,而研究组未出现皮瓣坏死病例,存活率为100%,明显高于对照组(P0.05)。结论:术前数字化血管三维模型的建立用于烧伤患者面部修复术可缩短手术时间,提高手术效率,降低术后皮瓣供血障碍的发生率及皮瓣死亡率,有利于患者术后恢复。     

Cardiac effects of burn injury complicated by aspiration pneumonia-induced sepsis

Early fluid resuscitation, antimicrobials, early excision, and grafting have improved survival in the early postburn period; however, a significant incidence of pneumonia-related sepsis occurs after burn injury, often progressing to multiple organ failure. Recent studies have suggested that this initial injury (burn injury) primes the subject, producing an exaggerated response to a second insult, such as pneumonia-related sepsis. We developed an experimental animal model that included a third-degree burn over 40% of the total body surface area, followed by sepsis (intratracheal administration of Streptococcus pneumoniae, 4 x 106 colony-forming unit), which was produced either 48 or 72 h after burn injury in adult male rats. Hearts harvested after either burn alone, sepsis alone, or burn plus sepsis were used to assess either contractile function (Langendorff) or cardiomyocyte secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, and IL-10 (ELISA). Experimental groups included the following: 1). sham (sham burn and no sepsis); 2). burn injury alone studied either 24, 48, or 72 h postburn; 3). pneumonia-related sepsis in the absence of burn injury; and 4). pneumonia-induced sepsis studied either 48 or 72 h after an initial burn injury. Burn injury alone (24 h) or sepsis alone produced myocardial contractile defects and increases in pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine secretion by cardiomyocytes. Sepsis that occurred 48 h postburn exacerbated the cardiac contractile defects seen with either burn alone or sepsis alone. Sepsis that occurred 72 h postburn produced contractile defects resembling those seen in either burn alone or sepsis alone. In conclusion, our data suggest that burn injury primes the subject such that a second insult early in the postburn period produces significantly greater cardiac abnormalities than those seen with either burn alone or sepsis alone.     

Alternative Mechanism for White Adipose Tissue Lipolysis after Thermal Injury

Extensively burned patients often suffer from sepsis, a complication that enhances postburn hypermetabolism and contributes to increased incidence of multiple organ failure, morbidity and mortality. Despite the clinical importance of burn sepsis, the molecular and cellular mechanisms of such infection-related metabolic derangements and organ dysfunction are still largely unknown. We recently found that upon endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, the white adipose tissue (WAT) interacts with the liver via inflammatory and metabolic signals leading to profound hepatic alterations, including hepatocyte apoptosis and hepatic fatty infiltration. We therefore hypothesized that burn plus infection causes an increase in lipolysis of WAT after major burn, partially through induction of ER stress, contributing to hyperlipidemia and profound hepatic lipid infiltration. We used a two-hit rat model of 60% total body surface area scald burn, followed by intraperitoneal (IP) injection of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa-derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS) 3 d postburn. One day later, animals were euthanized and liver and epididymal WAT (EWAT) samples were collected for gene expression, protein analysis and histological study of inflammasome activation, ER stress, apoptosis and lipid metabolism. Our results showed that burn plus LPS profoundly increased lipolysis in WAT associated with significantly increased hepatic lipid infiltration. Burn plus LPS augmented ER stress by upregulating CHOP and activating ATF6, inducing NLRP3 inflammasome activation and leading to increased apoptosis and lipolysis in WAT with a distinct enzymatic mechanism related to inhibition of AMPK signaling. In conclusion, burn sepsis causes profound alterations in WAT and liver that are associated with changes in organ function and structure.     

Gram Negative Wound Infection in Hospitalised Adult Burn Patients-Systematic Review and Metanalysis-

Background

Gram negative infection is a major determinant of morbidity and survival. Traditional teaching suggests that burn wound infections in different centres are caused by differing sets of causative organisms. This study established whether Gram-negative burn wound isolates associated to clinical wound infection differ between burn centres.

Methods

Studies investigating adult hospitalised patients (2000–2010) were critically appraised and qualified to a levels of evidence hierarchy. The contribution of bacterial pathogen type, and burn centre to the variance in standardised incidence of Gram-negative burn wound infection was analysed using two-way analysis of variance.

Primary Findings

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumanni, Enterobacter spp., Proteus spp. and Escherichia coli emerged as the commonest Gram-negative burn wound pathogens. Individual pathogens’ incidence did not differ significantly between burn centres (F (4, 20) = 1.1, p = 0.3797; r2 = 9.84).

Interpretation

Gram-negative infections predominate in burn surgery. This study is the first to establish that burn wound infections do not differ significantly between burn centres. It is the first study to report the pathogens responsible for the majority of Gram-negative infections in these patients. Whilst burn wound infection is not exclusive to these bacteria, it is hoped that reporting the presence of this group of common Gram-negative “target organisms” facilitate clinical practice and target research towards a defined clinical demand.     

Pyocyaneus infection of burn wounds]

Materials of clinico-bacteriological study of 302 patients with thermal burns of different severity pointed to a considerable elevation of the incidence of Ps. aeruginosa isolation (in cultures) from burn wounds; the last few years it was found in about 50% of the cases. The greater frequency of Ps. aeruginosa detection correlated with the increase of the severity of the affection. By using Soviet set of 17 type agglutinating sera it was possible to type almost 90% of the Ps. aeruginosa cultures isolated from the wounds; a marked prevalence (over 70% of the strains) of cultures belonging to the serological group II was revealed. Patients admitted to the burn centre at early periods after the trauma displayed infection of the wound with the Ps. aeruginosa strain of the II serological group.     

个性化心理护理对帕金森病伴抑郁状态患者的影响

目的探讨个性化心理护理对帕金森病患者伴抑郁状态的影响。方法选择我院神经内科收治的帕金森病伴抑郁状态患者100例作为研究对象,随机分成对照组和观察组各50例。对照组按帕金森病常规药物治疗和护理,观察组在此基础上给予个性化心理护理,观察两组患者4周后汉密尔顿抑郁量表(HAMD)评定情况。结果通过个性化心理护理后,观察组患者的抑郁发生率明显低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.01)。结论个性化心理护理可显著改善帕金森病患者的抑郁症状,提高患者的生活质量。     

Prophylactic treatment with fms-like tyrosine kinase-3 ligand after burn injury enhances global immune responses to infection

Severely burned patients are susceptible to infections with opportunistic organisms due to altered immune responses and frequent wound contamination. Immunomodulation to enhance systemic and local responses to wound infections may be protective after burn injury. We previously demonstrated that pretreatments with fms-like tyrosine kinase-3 (Flt3) ligand (Flt3L), a dendritic cell growth factor, increase the resistance of mice to a subsequent burn injury and wound infection by a dendritic cell-dependent mechanism. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that Flt3L administration after burn injury decreases susceptibility to wound infections by enhancing global immune cell activation. Mice were treated with Flt3L after burn injury and examined for survival, wound and systemic bacterial clearance, and immune cell activation after wound inoculation with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. To gain insight into the local effects of Flt3L at the burn wound, localization of Langerhans cells was examined. Mice treated with Flt3L had significantly greater numbers of CD25-expressing T cells and CD69-expressing T and B cells, neutrophils, and macrophages after, but not before, infection. Overall leukocyte apoptosis in response to infection was decreased with Flt3L treatment. Survival and local and systemic bacterial clearance were enhanced by Flt3L. Langerhans cells appeared in the dermis of skin bordering the burn wound, and further increased in response to wound infection. Flt3L augmented the appearance of Langerhans cells in response to both injury and infection. These data suggest that dendritic cell enhancement by Flt3L treatments after burn injury protects against opportunistic infections through promotion of local and systemic immune responses to infection.     

鼻饲中药抗休克合剂治疗重症烧伤休克期患者的疗效及对胃肠道复苏的影响

摘要 目的：探讨中药抗休克合剂经鼻饲给药法治疗重症烧伤休克期患者的疗效及对胃肠道复苏的影响。方法：选取上海中医药大学附属第七人民医院2017年10月至2020年9月期间收治的重症烧伤休克患者共计60例,将其按照随机数字表法分为对照组和实验组,每组各30例。对照组患者进行常规抗休克治疗,实验组在常规抗休克的基础上经鼻饲法给予中药抗休克合剂治疗。观察并记录两组患者复苏前、复苏后1 d、2 d、3 d的动脉血乳酸、内毒素水平,心率、尿量及补液量,腹胀缓解肠鸣音恢复时间、肛门排气时间,消化道不良反应、消化道出血发生率及有无继发全身性感染情况。结果：两组患者经治疗后血清内毒素和动脉血乳酸水平均呈不同趋势下降,复苏后1 d、2 d两组患者实验室指标虽有降低,但两组组间比较差异不显著（P＞0.05）,实验组患者复苏后3 d血清内毒素和动脉血乳酸值下降显著,且明显优于对照组,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。实验组复苏后1 d、2 d补液量均较对照组更低（P<0.05）;实验组复苏后1 d、2 d尿量与对照组比较无统计学差异（P>0.05）,而复苏后3 d尿量较对照组更多（P<0.05）;实验组复苏后1 d、2 d、3 d心率均优于对照组（P<0.05）。实验组腹胀缓解肠鸣音恢复时间、肛门排气时间和消化不良反应、消化道出血、继发全身性感染发生率均低于对照组(P＜0.05)。结论：经鼻饲法给予中药抗休克合剂配合西医常规抗休克治疗,可发挥中医药特色,治疗重症烧伤休克期患者临床疗效明确,有助于胃肠道复苏,降低并发症及感染机率,具有一定的临床价值。     

Puerarin alleviates burn-related procedural pain mediated by P2X3 receptors

Pain is a major problem after burns. Procedural pain evoked by burn dressing changes is common in patients, and its management is a critical part of treatment in acute burn injuries. Burn pain is very likely the most difficult form of acute pain to treat. ATP contributes to inflammation, and ATP is implicated in peripheral pain signaling via actions upon P2X₃ receptors. Puerarin is extracted from a traditional Chinese medicine and may act on P2X₃ receptor mechanisms. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) has been shown to be a sensitive indicator of pain intensity and treatment effects. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are involved in nociception or pain after burn injury. Burn patients were randomly divided into normal saline (NS) group (salt solution is saline) and puerarin-treated group and pain (Visual Analogue Scale scores) and inflammation (PBMCs) measured. Burn pain produces a stress response, so blood glucose, insulin, and cortisol levels in burn patients were determined. Furthermore, the expression of P2X₃ protein and mRNA in PBMCs was detected. The VAS scores in the puerarin-treated group were lower than those in NS group. The blood glucose, insulin, and cortisol levels in the puerarin-treated group at post-dressing changes were significantly decreased in comparison with those in NS group. The expression levels of P2X₃ protein and mRNA in PBMCs of burn patients in NS group were significantly increased in comparison with those in the puerarin-treated group. Puerarin can antagonize inflammatory factors (such as ATP) and decrease the upregulated expressions of P2X₃ protein and mRNA in PBMCs after burns to decrease VAS. Thus, puerarin had an analgesic effect on procedural pain in dressing changes of burn patients related to P2X₃ receptors.     

Study on the pathogenesis of pathophysiological changes of burn systemic infection

The present prospective study showed that incidence of systemic infection in severe burn patients was 30.9%. Toxic shock and multiple organ failure (MOF) developed in all patients with uncontrolled systemic infection. Both morbidity and mortality of MOF were 76.5%. In the infection group, plasma TXB(2) and TXB(2)/6-keto-PGF(1alpha) ratio increased markedly. Their changes were closely correlated with the clinical course and deterioration of systemic infection. Circulatory platelet aggregate ratio decreased significantly, while myocardiac enzyme spectrum greatly increased. Thrombi were observed in visceral tissues from patients dying of systemic infection. These suggested that TXA(2)/PGI(2). imbalance promoting microaggregate and thrombus formation may be one of the pathogenic effects of toxic shock and MOF in burn patients.     

Burn injury suppresses human dermal dendritic cell and Langerhans cell function

Human skin contains epidermal Langerhans cells (LCs) and dermal dendritic cells (DCs) that are key players in induction of adaptive immunity upon infection. After major burn injury, suppressed adaptive immunity has been observed in patients. Here we demonstrate that burn injury affects adaptive immunity by altering both epidermal LC and dermal DC functions. We developed a human ex vivo burn injury model to study the function of DCs in thermally injured skin. No differences were observed in the capacity of both LCs and dermal DCs to migrate out of burned skin compared to unburned skin. Similarly, expression levels of co-stimulatory molecules were unaltered. Notably, we observed a strong reduction of T cell activation induced by antigen presenting cell (APC) subsets that migrated from burned skin through soluble burn factors. Further analyses demonstrated that both epidermal LCs and dermal DCs have a decreased T cell stimulatory capacity after burn injury. Restoring the T cell stimulatory capacity of DC subsets might improve tissue regeneration in patients with burn wounds.     

Prior burn insult induces lethal acute lung injury in endotoxemic mice: effects of cytokine inhibition

Many patients who experience surgical stress, including burn injury, become susceptible to severe sepsis and septic organ dysfunction, which remains the primary contributor to morbidity and mortality in burn patients. In the present study, we developed a murine model of burn-primed sublethal endotoxemia by producing a 15% BSA full-thickness burn on the dorsum of BALB/c mice under ether anesthesia and administering 10 mg/kg of LPS intravenously on day 11 to model endotoxemia. The prior burn injury in this model induced two-peaked production of cytokines, TNF-alpha, and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 at 2 and 12 h after LPS administration, and it was associated with increased mortality. We also assessed the effect of pharmacological modulation with cytokine synthesis inhibitors prednisolone and JTE-607 and found that pretreatment with them attenuated later cytokine production and decreased mortality after LPS administration. We speculate that the prior burn injury primed the mice for the secondary insult via cytokine production. These results also suggested that an anticytokine strategy might serve as a novel prophylactic therapy for septic organ dysfunction in burn-primed patients.     

Antifungal Pharmacokinetics and Dosing Considerations in Burn Patients

Patients with burn injuries are at high risk of developing invasive fungal infections leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Burn patients undergo major physiologic changes, which produce significant alterations in the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of antimicrobial agents. These changes result from the breakdown of the body’s natural barriers to infection and the systemic responses that subsequently ensue after burn injury, including systemic inflammatory responses, third spacing, and development of a hypermetabolic state. Severe burn injuries often lead to larger volumes of distribution and increased drug clearance. Limited data are available to guide the clinician in optimizing the dosing regimen of antifungals in patients with burn injuries. We present a review of antifungal pharmacokinetics and describe how these properties can be used to design rational therapeutic regimens tailored to the pharmacodynamic alterations characteristic of burn patients.     

Effects of burn wound excision on bacterial colonization and invasion

Rates of survival after thermal injury have improved in the past two decades, and rates of wound infections and sepsis have decreased during the same period. Early excision has been advocated as one of the major factors, but its safety and efficacy and the exact timing of burn excision are still under debate. It was hypothesized that acute burn wound excision (in the first 24 hours after burning) would be superior to conservative treatment and delayed excision in preventing bacterial colonization and invasion. Twenty consecutive patients with thermal injuries were studied. Twelve patients underwent acute burn wound excision, and eight patients underwent conservative treatment and delayed excision. The second group of patients received topical treatments in another facility and underwent delayed excision after transfer to our service, on postburn day 6. Quantitative bacteriological assessments of the excised wound and biopsy samples of the wound bed, obtained before autografting and/or homografting, were performed. The effects of time on bacterial counts, differences between superficial and deep biopsy samples, and the effects of early versus late debridement were studied. Patients admitted early exhibited bacterial counts of less than 10 bacteria per gram of tissue. Patients in this group did not experience infection or graft loss. Patients admitted late exhibited counts of more than 10 bacteria (p = 0.001, compared with early admission). Three patients in the late excision group experienced infection and graft loss (p < 0.05, compared with the early excision group). Burn wound excision significantly decreased bacterial colonization for all patients (p < 0.001). Greater bacterial colonization and higher rates of infection were correlated with topical treatment and late excision (p < 0.001). It is concluded that burn wound excision significantly reduces bacterial colonization. Patients who undergo topical treatment and delayed burn wound excision exhibit greater bacterial colonization and increased rates of infection. Acute burn wound excision should be considered for all full-thickness burns.