Infections associated with second and third degree burns can be diagnosed by meeting one of the following criteria.
Criteria 1 - both of the following:
(1) change in burn wound appearance or character, such as rapid eschar separation, or dark brown, black or violaceous discoloration of eschar, or edema at wound margin
(2) histologic examination of burn biopsy specimen shows invasion of organisms into adjacent viable tissue
Criteria 2 - both of the following:
(1) change in burn wound appearance or character, such as rapid eschar separation, or dark brown, black or violaceous discoloration of eschar, or edema at wound margin
(2) at least one of the following:
(2a) organism isolated from blood culture in absence of other identifiable infection
(2b) isolation of herpes simplex virus, histologic identification of inclusions by light or electron microscopy, or visualization of viral particles by electron microscopy in biopsy specimens or lesion scrapings
Criteria 3 - both of the following:
(1) at least 2 of the following symptoms:
(1a) fever (> 38° C)
(1b) hypothermia (< 36° C)
(1c) hypotension (systolic blood pressure <= 90 mm Hg)
(1d) oliguria (< 20 mL/hr)
(1e) hyperglycemia at previously tolerated level of dietary carbohydrates
(1f) mental confusion
(2) at least one of the following:
(2a) histologic examination of burn biopsy specimen that shows invasion of organisms into adjacent viable tissue
(2b) organism isolated from blood culture
(2c) isolation of herpes simplex virus, histologic identification of inclusions by light or electron microscopy, or visualization of viral particles by electron microscopy in biopsy specimens or lesion scrapings
Specialty: Infectious Diseases, Dermatology, Emergency Medicine
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