Molecular Epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus Nasal: Carriage and Wound Colonization in a Burn Centre

Abstract

Human skin is vital to the preservation of body fluid homeostasis, thermoregulation, protection against the harmful effects of UV-irradiation, and the prevention of tissue invasion by micro-organisms. Organisms of diverse species naturally colonise different layers of the skin. They interact via specific ligands with receptors in host tissues . Thermal injury creates a breach in the surface of the skin and alters the variety and exposition of specific host’ receptors. The wound resulting from such injury is a protein-rich environment consisting of avascular necrotic tissue that provides an even more favourable niche for microbial colonization and proliferation than healthy skin does . Although immediately following thermal injury, burn wounds are sterile, these wounds will soon become colonized with micro-organisms . Within hours or days, Gram-positive bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) will colonize the burn wound; Gram-negative species are isolated from wounds at a later stage post thermal injury.