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Infections in Combat-Related Wounds

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Reconstructing the War Injured Patient

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Abstract

The relationship of armed conflicts and the occurrence of infectious diseases has been well established. Improved survival rates in both soldiers and civilians with war injuries have resulted in an increased risk of acquiring wound infections among those affected. Early diagnosis of a wound infection is crucial as a failure to do so results in delayed wound healing, prolonged hospital stay, and systemic complications such as sepsis. Wound microbiology changes over time from an even balance between gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens in early stages to mostly gram-negative bacteria that are resistant to commonly used antibiotics during the later phases of treatment. This emergence of multidrug resistant organisms is a major problem facing both military and civilian facilities handling causalities of war. This chapter explores different aspects of combat-related wound infections including its pathophysiology, diagnosis, microbiology, emergence of antimicrobial resistance, and management.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Riad El Solh, 1107 2020, Beirut, 11-0236, Lebanon

    Abdul Rahman Bizri M.D., M.Sc., D.L.S.H.T.M.

  2. Department of Surgery, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Riad El Solh, 1107 2020, Beirut, 11-0236, Lebanon

    Zeyad Tamim Sahli M.D.

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  1. Abdul Rahman Bizri M.D., M.Sc., D.L.S.H.T.M.
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  2. Zeyad Tamim Sahli M.D.
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Correspondence to Abdul Rahman Bizri M.D., M.Sc., D.L.S.H.T.M. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon

    Ghassan Soleiman Abu-Sittah

  2. Department of Surgery, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon

    Jamal J. Hoballah

  3. Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, American University of Beirut Medical Centre-Faculty of Medicine, Beirut, Lebanon

    Joseph Bakhach

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Bizri, A.R., Sahli, Z.T. (2017). Infections in Combat-Related Wounds. In: Abu-Sittah, G., Hoballah, J., Bakhach, J. (eds) Reconstructing the War Injured Patient. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56887-4_19

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