Infection

Burn patients are at risk of infection, but prophylactic antibiotics are generally not
given.
There is a decrease in both cellular and humoral immunity:
• decreased total lymphocyte numbers
• prolonged survival of allografts
• reduction of immunoglobulin levels
• serum from burn patients is immunosuppressive in vitro.
Dressings with physical cleansing of the wound and the use of tropical antimicrobials
are the mainstay of reducing infection. Tetanus prophylaxis is given depending on the
patient’s immunization status.