Possible Risk Factors Associated with Burn Wound Colonization in Burn Units of Gaza Strip Hospitals, Palestine

Burns are considered one of the most common and shocking forms of trauma. Patients with serious thermal or electrical injury necessitate immediate specialized care to minimize morbidity and mortality. Electrical burns and burn injuries caused by fire, hot liquids, and contact with hot surfaces, have been recognized as a significant and major public health problem in most developing countries. Burn patients are at high risk of nosocomial infections for several reasons: the immunocompromizing effects of burns, prolonged hospital stays, and invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Furthermore, both checking and preventing infection is difficult in burn patients because of disruption to the skin barrier and the potentially heavily colonized burn unit environment by resistant micro-organisms, with a high likelihood of cross contamination among patients. Burn wound infections are considered one of the most significant and potentially serious complications that ensue in the acute period following injury. Burn injury is a major problem in many areas of the world, and it has been estimated that 75% of all deaths following burns are related to infection. According to data from numerous publications in different countries, the most isolated pathogens from burn patients and their environments are Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Enterococcus spp., Coagulase negative staphylococci, Enterobacter spp., Acinetobacter spp. and Candida spp. Many epidemiological studies have highlighted the risks associated with burns and burn infections. To our knowledge, there are no documented reports or published data about the risk factors of burn injuries and nosocomial infections in burn units in the Gaza strip. This study was prospectively carried out at Al-Shifa and Nasser burn units, Gaza strip, Palestine to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of the burn patients, and to study the possible risk factors associated with microbial infections that occurred during hospitalization at these burn units. Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters Pending Publication