Bactericidal function of neutrophils in burned patients

In this study the bactericidal capacity of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) in burned patients untreated and treated with silver compounds (0·5 per cent silver nitrate and Silvadene) was investigated. Thirty patients aged between 1 and 70 years, with burned areas covering from 7 to 95 per cent of the total body surface area, were studied before and after treatment. Studies were made on Staphylococcus aureus (coagulase-positive) in 23 patients before treatment and in 20 patients after treatment, on Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 18 patients before treatment and in 15 after treatment and in 8 patients this examination was made before and after treatment on both S. aureus and P. aeruginosa at the same time. Bactericidal capacity was found to be decreased for both organisms and this dysfunction was enhanced by silver compounds used for topical treatment.