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Wound colonization is where bacteria are present on the wound surface at low concentrations. There is no invasive infection.
Wound infection is when bacteria are present in the wound and wound eschar at high concentrations. There is no invasive infection.
Invasive burn wound infection occurs when the presence of pathogens in a burn wound is at concentrations sufficient in conjunction with depth, surface area involved and age of patient to cause separation of eschar or graft loss, invasion of adjacent unburned tissue or cause the systemic response of sepsis syndrome. Pathogens are present in the wound at high concentrations. Invasion or destruction of unburned skin/tissue due to an invasive infection may occur with or without sepsis. Many burn wound invasive infections, however, are life threatening and need urgent treatment (usually wound excision).
Cellulitis indicates bacteria present in the wound and/or wound eschar at high concentrations and...
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Greenhalgh DG, Saffle JR et al (2007) American Burn Association consensus conference to define sepsis and infection in burns. J Burn Care Res 28(6):776–790
Ramzy PI, Jeschke MG et al (2003) Correlation of bronchoalveolar lavage with radiographic evidence of pneumonia in thermally injured children. J Burn Care Rehabil 24(6):382–385
Wolf S et al (1997) Enteral feeding intolerance: an indicator of sepsis-associated mortality in burned children. Arch Surg 132(12):1310–1314
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© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Sanford, A., Gamelli, R.L. (2012). Burn Wound Infection. In: Vincent, JL., Hall, J.B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Intensive Care Medicine. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-00418-6_382
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-00418-6_382
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-00417-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-00418-6
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