Burn Related Infections in Pediatric Patients with Major Burns

Introduction: Pediatric burn related infections are challenging conditions to manage for health care providers and can cause several complications entailing a complicated treatment and prognosis. In this study, infection in pediatric burn patients hospitalized in burn intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary care hospital was investigated. Methods: This study was conducted between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2020 in burn ICU of a tertiary care hospital. The demographic and clinical data, the type of infections and the isolated microorganisms, antibiotics used for prophylaxis and treatment and the outcomes were retrospectively evaluated from patient files and the hospital registries.Results: A total of 192 pediatric patients were included in our study. The mean age of the patients was 5.48 +/- 4.7 years. There were 73 patients who experienced at least one infection episode with an incidence of 38%. The most commonly isolated microorganisms were Candida species in blood-stream, Escherichia coli in urinary tract and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in burn wound infections. The percentage of burned body surface area and abbreviated burn severity index were significantly higher in patients with infections. Also, ICU stay and total stay were significantly longer in these patients.Conclusion: In pediatric burns, strict adherence to isolation procedures, avoiding the use of central and urinary catheters, early excision and early wound closure are important measures to reduce infections. Prophylaxis with broad spectrum antibiotics should be avoided. Appropriate antibiotic strategies should be developed depending on culture results of the patients.