18 MONTHS OF ROUTINE TOPICAL ANTI-MICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY TESTING OF ISOLATES FROM BURN PATIENTS - RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

A variety of Gram-positive and Gram-negative micro-organisms isolated from burn wounds were tested against topical antimicrobial agents using a recently described procedure. Data presented indicate that topical preparations of povidoneiodine ointment, nitrofurazone cream and 0.5% silver nitrate in Unibase• are ineffective topical antimicrobials, while gentamicin cream, silver sulfadiazine cream, mafenide acetate cream and nitrofurazone ointment are active against numerous organisms colonizing the burn wound. It is recommended that a variety of topical agents, including the four effective ones cited above, be available for routine susceptibility testing and clinical use in any institution where this type of therapy is in common use. © 1979, by The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.