WOUND CULTURE & GRAM STAIN

LAB503

Set Up:Daily Report Available:5 days

Wound infections may be caused by one or several organisms. Postoperative wounds are often caused by mixtures of aerobes and anaerobes, while superficial wounds usually are caused by aerobes only. Drainages, exudates, infections in closed body cavities, internal body fluid and visceral organ infections and other deep seated infections can be caused by one or several aerobes and/or anaerobes. Wound pathogens include Staph. aureus, Streptococci, Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas, Bacteroides, Clostridia and anaerobic cocci. Coag-negative staphylococcus can cause a wound infection but is usually considered normal skin flora. In addition to Coag-negative staphylococcus, Corynebacterium species, alpha hemolytic streptococci and Propionibacteria are commonly found as part of the normal skin flora. Wounds, especially postoperative wounds, may become benignly colonized with potential pathogens. A gram stain showing few or no polymorphonuclear cells and/or presence of the pathogen with relatively large amounts of skin flora are consistent with colonization. The most dominant pathogen(s) on a wound culture are the most clinically significant. It is not medically relevant to identify and perform susceptibility testing on any more than 3 pathogens from a wound culture.