Microbiology of burns treated with carbenicillin: Experimental and clinical observations

Carbenicillin administered systemically is effective in controlling sepsis from the bum wound due to Pseudomonas in experimental animals. The flora of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a burn ward ex­hibits a complete spectrum from sensitivity to resistance to carbenicillin. Differentiation of phage types shows that in most instances the “emergence” of resistant strains is actually colonization by a new, resistant type. At least 1 phage type of those observed appears to be moderately resistant to carbenicillin.Quantitative study of tissues from autopsy of bum patients treated with carbenicillin showed low bacterial content of the bum wound, 3 logs less than the range seen in sepsis from the bum wound. P. aeruginosa was not the predominant organism in any of 14 patients autopsied, and it was present in only 4 instances.