Comparison of superficial swab culture and deep tissue culture results in patients with infected wounds

Comparison of Superficial Swab Culture and Deep Tissue Culture Results In Patients with Infected Wounds INTRODUCTION AND AIM: In this study, we aimed to compare the agents detected as a result of superficial swab culture and deep tissue culture in patients with infected wounds and antimicrobial susceptibility of these agents. If the similarity rate of samples taken with two different techniques is high; we will prove it that the superficial swab sample, which is an easy and noninvasive method, is as reliable as a deep tissue sample. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed 90 patients with infected acute or chronic wounds who applied to the Wound Care Polyclinic of Sakarya University Training and Research Hospital between January 2019 and April 2020. A superficial swab sample and deep tissue culture sample were simultaneously taken from the same wound by the wound care specialist from the identified patients. Samples taken by both methods were sent to the microbiology laboratory and the results were compared. RESULTS: By swab culture while there was no growth in 6 (6.7%) patients, normal skin flora was detected in 8 (8.9%) patients. Thirty one (27%) of the total 115 bacteria were gram positive and 84 (73%) were gram negative bacteria. Among the gram-positive bacteria, the most common S aureus; among the gram negative bacteria, P.aeruginosa (14.7%) was detected. By deep tissue culture while was no growht in 8 (8,9%) in patients, normal skin flora was detected in 8 (8,9%) patients. Twenty six (24.2%) of total 107 bacteria are gram positive and 81 (75.8%) were gram negative bacteria. Among the gram positive bacteria, S. aureus (6.5%) was the most common; P. aeruginosa (17.7%) was detected among gram negative bacteria. We found that the results of swab culture and deep tissue culture were the same in 70 (77%) patients. Except for two bacteria (S. anginosus and S. gordonii), all bacteria detected were common in both swab and deep tissue culture. CONCLUSION: We found the bacteria detected by both the superficial swab culture method and the deep tissue culture method to be similar. We think that in patients in whom deep tissue culture we cannot obtain, superficial swabs can be taken and we can make treatment planning according to these results. Clinicians should, however, be aware that neither wound biopsy nor wound swab allow identification of all of all microorganisms present in the wound. Keywords: Deep tissue culture, swab culture, wound infection