Prevalence of Different Types of Micro-Organisms and Levels of Complement C5a in Patients with Acute-Phase Wound Infections

Abstract

Background: An acute wound infection might be caused by external damage to the skin including abrasions, lacerations, bites, burns, accidents, war injuries and surgical incisions. When a wound fails to heal within a week, it should be considered a chronic type. Complement system potent inflammatory cascade in wound infection, is important and altered wound healing. Complement activation leads to the generation of many potent effectors including anaphylatoxin C5a. C5a has induced synthesis of TNF-α and IL-1β in macrophage and monocyte which are all together the goal of the present paper. Methodology: This study was conducted in Al-Kindy and Al-Wasity hospitals in Baghdad on 200 patients suffering from wounds. One hundred patients were with acute wounds infection and the other 100 patients considered as control wounds i.e. without infection. The procedure method was followed according to manufacturer’s instructions (Elabscience, USA) utilizing C5a ELISA kit for conducting the test. Blood samples were taken at 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 hours of hospitalization of the patients. Results: It was found that the highest concentration of C5a was found at 120 hours after patients hospitalization who were with wound infection, and the mean value of C5a was 4898 pg/ml. 4661 pg/ml of C5a was recorded among patients with acute-phase infection compared to 4387 pg/ml concentration of the same complement among control group without wound infection at 96 hours post residence in hospital. Conclusions: Gram-positive bacteria were more prevalent causing wound infections. Dermacoccus nishinomiyaensis, Kocuria rosea and Kocuria kristinae were isolated for the first time in this locality. A complement 5a (C5a) revealed a very high concentration in acute-phase of wound infections. It was found that C5a was serially elevated with time of hospitalization of wounded and infected patients. C5a was highly elevated with wound infection by Gram-negative bacteria compared to infections by Gram-negatives.